Several Salt Lakers were in Indianapolis Monday trying to persuade members of the American Legion to hold their 1996 national convention in Salt Lake City.
They were doing some heavy lobbying to land a convention that would bring 25,000 delegates to the Salt Palace Convention Center with an estimated economic impact of $21 million. Competition came from Anaheim, Calif., and Las Vegas. The winner will be announced Wednesday.Rick Davis, president of the Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the city has a big advantage because the American Legion held its annual meeting in the Salt Palace Convention Center in 1984 and had the largest attendance ever.
Salt Lake County Commission Chairman James Bradley was on the presentation team and showed a video featuring a greeting from Gov. Mike Leavitt.
The Salt Palace Convention Center is being expanded and refurbished so it can handle large conventions. The work will be completed in late 1995.