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Austin: Convention host committee has “north of $15 million”

Posted Aug 3, 2011 by William March

Updated Aug 3, 2011 at 03:00 PM

The Tampa Host Committee for the 2012 Republican National Convention has raised more than $15 million, not including a commitment from a corporate sponsor for a $5 million contribution, said Al Austin, head of the local effort to stage the event.

Austin gave a progress report on the host committee’s work during a Republican National Committee meeting, held here to allow party officials to preview the convention city, in Tampa Wednesday.

Austin said despite the shaky economy, which has made fundraising for political candidates difficult, “We’re confident that our fundraising is on schedule, on target. We’re in great shape.”

He said the committee is meeting the timetable of fundraising goals set in its agreement with the Republican National Committee, and expects to reach or exceed the final goal of $50 million.

Austin said the committee’s fundraising is different from raising money for a candidate because its mission is non-partisan: To showcase Tampa with an efficiently run convention before the vast crowd of big political names and news media who will be here for the event. The committee, unlike partisan fundraising groups, is considered a charitable organization that can accept tax-deductible donations.

The committee includes some of the most prominent Republican fundraisers in the Tampa Bay area, plus a few Democrats.