For two days, Dallas will become the center of Republican politics. But behind the speeches, security checkpoints, and national television cameras is a story about the people who helped bring the gathering to North Texas, the businesses hoping to welcome thousands of visitors, and a city eager to demonstrate its ability to host a major national event.
The Republican National Committee’s first midterm convention opens Wednesday at American Airlines Center. President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak both nights, with Vice President JD Vance and Republican candidates among the featured participants. Unlike a presidential nominating convention, the gathering is intended to showcase the party’s agenda and candidates ahead of the November 3 elections.
For Dallas, the event arrives at an unusual moment. Its downtown convention center is undergoing a major rebuild, hotels are seeking group business, and the city is preparing for its first Republican national convention gathering since 1984.
A Presidential Idea Becomes a Convention
Dallas did not secure the event through a publicly documented bidding competition, as is common for presidential nominating conventions. The RNC has not released a formal shortlist, bid book, or ranked selection process.
Trump had advocated holding a midterm convention for months. On January 23, the RNC unanimously approved a rule change allowing Chairman Joe Gruters to convene a ceremonial convention outside a presidential election year, according to CBS News.
At the time, several possible locations were being discussed. A January Fox News report said people involved in the talks described Trump as favoring Nevada or Texas, while other cities remained possible. Las Vegas, Phoenix, Detroit, and Atlanta were among the locations discussed in early reporting.
Those cities were potential options in the conversation, not confirmed formal finalists.
RNC officials toured American Airlines Center earlier in the year, reviewing the arena’s specifications and possible production configurations. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton publicly indicated in mid-June that Dallas would host the gathering, but the formal announcement came June 30.
Trump announced the September 9–10 dates on Truth Social, describing Dallas as “One of my favorite places in the World.”
Why Dallas Made Sense
The selection combined political relationships with practical considerations. Gruters has said Trump likes Dallas and that Texas offers strong supporters, fundraising connections, and a favorable environment for the party’s plans.
The RNC chairman has described the event as a “Trumpapalooza,” a term he used while discussing the convention’s purpose. In a CBS News Texas interview, Gruters said the gathering would highlight the administration’s work and the people involved in it.
Texas’ competitive congressional districts and Senate race also make the state politically relevant to the event. The RNC has not identified any single race as the sole reason for choosing Dallas.
The venue itself was another advantage. American Airlines Center can accommodate approximately 20,000 people, depending on configuration. Fort Worth’s Dickies Arena, with a capacity of about 14,000, was a smaller regional alternative. Dallas also offered a larger media market and an established network of hotels, restaurants, and transportation services.
The city last hosted a Republican presidential nominating convention in 1984, when Ronald Reagan accepted the party’s nomination at Reunion Arena. This year’s event is different: there is no presidential nomination or delegate roll call.
The Dallas Team Behind the National Production
The Dallas 2026 Host Committee is led by Ray and Heather Washburne, whose backgrounds combine business, Republican fundraising, and political organization.
Ray Washburne is chairman of Sunoco and previously served as RNC national finance chairman and CEO of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation during Trump’s first administration. Heather Washburne has worked with the Republican Governors Association and the Dallas County Republican Party and operates the political fundraising firm Victory Associates.
The host committee also includes Dallas businessman Kenny Troutt, his wife Lisa Troutt, and former Trump administration official Trent Morse, according to FOX 7 Austin. Former RNC Chairman Reince Priebus is serving as senior adviser to the organizing committee.
The Dallas 2026 Host Committee has reported raising $45 million in private donations in less than a month. Co-chair Ray Washburne has repeated that figure, while NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth reported approximately $40 million in pledged donations. The figures reflect different public descriptions of the fundraising effort and should not be treated as independently audited totals.
While the fundraising reflects the scale of the event, it should not be confused with money flowing directly into the local economy. Political contributions, production spending, and visitor spending are separate measures.
The Hospitality Opportunity
For Visit Dallas President and CEO Craig Davis, the convention offered a practical opportunity. The city did not need to supply a traditional convention-center exhibition hall; it needed a large arena and sufficient hotel inventory.
The timing is significant because the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center is undergoing a major rebuild, reducing some of the weekday group business that normally supports downtown hotels.
As The Dallas Express previously reported, Davis said the gathering could fill more than 5,000 hotel rooms. The convention is expected to provide a welcome boost to the hospitality sector while the convention center is under construction.
The benefits could extend beyond hotels. Visitors may dine in local restaurants, use rideshare services, visit entertainment venues, and purchase goods from businesses across Victory Park, Uptown, and downtown. Hotel stays also generate occupancy-tax revenue, while dining and retail purchases can contribute sales-tax revenue.
Davis has emphasized a longer-term possibility as well: a visitor who experiences Dallas during a major event may return for business, leisure, or investment.
What the Economic Impact Could Mean
The convention’s final economic impact cannot yet be stated as a dollar figure. The estimate of more than 5,000 hotel rooms is a projection, not a confirmed occupancy total, and no verified convention-specific economic impact study has been publicly released.
The event also brings public expenses. Dallas initially estimated approximately $1.8 million in policing and related security costs. City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert said the city would document expenses and pursue available grants or reimbursements, according to Spectrum News. Organizers have expressed willingness to help mitigate costs, while City Council members have raised concerns about ensuring taxpayers are not left with the bill during a budget shortfall.
The final economic picture will depend on actual visitor spending, hotel occupancy, public costs, and reimbursements. A large event can generate substantial activity without every dollar spent representing a net gain to the city.
The Dallas Express Welcomes Readers to Convention Week
The Dallas Express is bringing readers into the convention week through reporting, live streams, and events near American Airlines Center.
On Wednesday, September 9, the newsroom will host a complimentary screening of Remember the Alamo: Don’t Sharia My Texas at the W Dallas Living Room Bar, 2440 Victory Park Lane, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event includes brunch and a panel featuring journalist Lara Logan, filmmaker Chris Burgard, and Dallas Express co-founder and Let’s Talk Local host Sarah Zubiate-Bennett.
The screening concludes one hour before convention programming is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Admission is complimentary, with RSVP available through Eventbrite.
The Dallas Express also announced a limited reader offer that includes convention perimeter passes, a meet-and-greet with newsroom staff and personalities in its VIP lounge, and access to the screening. Perimeter passes do not guarantee admission to American Airlines Center and remain subject to RNC procedures, capacity, and security requirements.
A National Spotlight With Local Disruptions
The convention is taking place in a city that leans Democratic in partisan elections but is led by Republican Mayor Eric Johnson.
Johnson served in the Texas House as a Democrat and won the mayor’s office as a Democrat before switching parties in September 2023, a move The Dallas Express covered at the time and in follow-up reporting on his Trump vote and the Republican Mayors Association. This split, a Democratic-leaning electorate and a Republican mayor, creates a distinctive political backdrop for the gathering.
For residents and workers, however, many of the immediate concerns are practical. Security operations around Victory Park have brought road closures, checkpoints, and changes to transportation access.
The gathering is also expected to attract protests, including one Indivisible Dallas is helping organize called the “Dallas March on the RNC Midterm Convention,” The Dallas Express previously reported. This event is scheduled for September 10, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Pike Park, with the aim of rejecting the Trump agenda.
For nearby businesses, the week presents both opportunity and disruption. Some may benefit from visitors seeking meals and entertainment, while others may face restricted access or changes to their usual customer traffic.
What Dallas Will Know After the Final Speech
The RNC’s political objective is to build support for its candidates ahead of November.
Dallas’ local results will be more measurable. Hotel occupancy, visitor spending, security reimbursements, and business activity will show whether the event delivered the hospitality boost officials anticipated.
Provided by Dallas Express
