WASHINGTON — Top donors to the Chicago 2024 Democratic convention host committee will get special VIP access to credentials, exclusive hotels and suites in the United Center, with $5 million contributors getting the most perks.
“All sponsorships are customizable and can be tailored to your specific needs,” said a pitch sheet soliciting sponsorships being circulated by the Chicago 2024 Host Committee.
“Other options include: signage within United Center, building out activation spaces, sponsoring hospitality spaces, etc.”
On April 11, the Democratic National Committee announced Chicago will host the convention at the United Center, which will be held from Aug. 19 to 22, 2024, with other events at the McCormick Place complex. As part of the city’s winning bid — beating out Atlanta and New York — the host committee, officially named Development Now for Chicago, pledged to raise $84.697 million.
A major carrot to do this — and this is pretty much standard in the Democratic and Republican convention fundraising world — is by offering mega-contributors enormous access to events related to the convention and difficult-to-obtain credentials for the nightly sessions.
The massive fundraising taking place for the Chicago convention is separate from fundraising for the DNC and the Biden-Harris re-election campaign.
President Joe Biden hits Chicago on June 28 for a fundraiser hosted by Gov. J.B. Pritzker and his wife, MK.
Michael Sacks, a major Democratic donor and fundraiser, is leading the host committee, and billionaire Pritzker is expected to be a major contributor. The chief Chicago host committee professional fundraiser, Leah Israel of Magnify Strategies, was the chief fundraiser for the 2020 Democratic Convention in Milwaukee.
The Chicago host committee perk package offers are described in two pitch sheets, first disclosed on Twitter by the New York Times’ Ken Vogel.
The Sun-Times obtained its own copies of the solicitations, which detail sponsorship levels from $100,000 to $5 million.
Credentials are the coveted currency of a convention. Getting to watch a session from a suite — with food and drink — is a very cool experience.
Top donors will be given the ability to book rooms at the most sought-after hotels — where the Democratic “celebrities” from the entertainment, political and sports worlds will also be staying.
The $5 million package delivers:
*A total of 40 credentials in two lower-level United Center suites, with 12-14 seats each
* Credentials for each convention session
* Podium preview tickets at the United Center
* 40 premium hotel rooms out of the host committee’s hotel block
The $2.5 million package gives a donor:
*20 suite credentials
*Credentials and podium tickets
* 28 premium hotel rooms
The $1.5 million deal gives a donor:
*20 suite credentials, podium tickets and 20 top hotel rooms
For $1 million and $500,000 sponsors: all of the above except fewer hotel rooms: 10 for $1 million sponsors; 5 for $500,000.
The $300,000 contributors get:
*Four credentials to a super-suite
*Podium preview tickets
* Two premium hotel rooms
The $100,000 giver gets:
*Two credentials to the “honored guest” super-suite
*Podium preview tickets
*One premium hotel room
There is also another perk package for companies and organizations who pledge before Labor Day 2023, qualifying them for “founding member benefits.”
That includes recognition as a “founding member” in convention host committee materials; inclusion at four “exclusive founding member events throughout the year” and “exclusive founding member memorabilia.”
DNC Chair Jaime Harrison has said he will be bringing a group of donors to Chicago later this summer.
The DNC, in its own high-end fundraising, is offering Chicago convention perks.
The host committee, which is still in formation, will not be aiming only at Democratic givers. The host committee will hope to land civic-minded corporations headquartered in and around Chicago and Republican donors or corporate chiefs who just want to boost the city, spur tourism and increase economic development.
The Republican National Convention will be held July 15-18, 2024, in Milwaukee. The Republicans already named their convention CEO; the DNC still has not decided on a CEO for the Chicago convention.
