KANSAS CITY, Mo. — For the delegates who attend the Republican National Convention, it's a chance to be a part of history.
Michael Kuckelman, chairman of the Kansas Republican Party, said getting to play a part in selecting the next President of the United States is an experience he'll never forget.
"It’s an incredible feeling, it’s a lot of responsibility, but it’s very much an honor to have the opportunity to participate in the process," Kuckelman said.
Kuckelman went to the 2016 and 2020 conventions as a delegate.
The convention's main purpose is to select the party's nominee for president and to adopt the party platform for the next four years.
The multi-day convention also includes meetings, activities and speeches from people from all over the country.
Kuckelman said it's an honor to be selected to host the convention, and he believes Kansas City is up to the task.
"I think it would be a real hope to all of metropolitan Kansas City to have to get together and work together to make the convention work, it’ll take all hands on deck throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area," Kuckelman said.
He said KCMO would be a great host city for several reasons, including the city's infrastructure development since its last bid to host the convention in 2014.
"There’s been so much development in downtown Kansas City for example, near the convention center, there are more hotel rooms, there are more restaurants, we are going to have that brand new airport," Kuckelman said.
He said the city's central location also makes it prime for travelers.
"I always tell people it’s two hours from everywhere, our airport is two hours from both coasts, from the northern border, the southern border so it’s a great place to bring everybody together because it’s so convenient," Kuckelman said.
He said you can't forget about the Midwestern hospitality, too.
"People always comment about the hospitality in the Midwest and we are known for that and so I think we ought to share that with a big convention like the GOP convention, it would be a win-win for everyone," Kuckelman said.
He said the convention's economic impact would be huge for the city, and not just hotels but small businesses and their staff.
"Everybody financially benefits from an event like this and again on top of that it is a real honor to be selected as a city so I am very hopeful for Kansas City," Kuckelman said.
