Kansas City won’t get the Republican National Convention in 2016

All the hoopla is over.

Kansas City made videos, assembled a youth marching band, spruced up downtown, had Mayor Sly James dance on an airport tarmac, had Dick Cheney spend a night in town, covered up the Totally Nude sign, raised millions in private funds and spent public money, all to impress Republicans. But it wasn’t enough to convince GOP leaders to pick Kansas City as the site of the 2016 Republican National Convention.

Cleveland and Dallas get to duke it out over the honors of hosting the event that will send one Republican hopeful to do battle with HIllary Clinton some Democrat over who gets to be the next tenant in the White House. Denver also didn’t make the cut, despite a television station there this morning suggesting that it would.

An official RNC statement didn’t specify why Kansas City didn’t meet the GOP’s wish list. But it did sing the city’s praises for having the RNC in town and making a bid.