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Dems eye Phila., 14 other cities for 2016 convention

WASHINGTON - Philadelphia is among the 15 cities the Democratic National Committee is considering to host the party's presidential nominating convention in 2016, officials said Tuesday.

WASHINGTON - Philadelphia is among the 15 cities the Democratic National Committee is considering to host the party's presidential nominating convention in 2016, officials said Tuesday.

The DNC is inviting cities from Miami to Las Vegas to bid to host the party faithful. Officials have until June 6 to submit proposals about how their cities would partner with the DNC to stage the event.

Cities under consideration are: Atlanta; Chicago; Cleveland; Columbus, Ohio; Detroit; Indianapolis; Las Vegas; Miami; Nashville; New York; Orlando; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Pittsburgh; and Salt Lake City.

The Nutter administration is in receipt of the application, or request for proposal, from the DNC to host the convention, spokesman Mark McDonald said Tuesday.

Last month, dozens of the city's movers and shakers met to discuss the application and fund-raising process. Former Gov. Ed Rendell and Rep. Robert Brady, the city Democratic Party chairman, said at the meeting that a nonprofit would be created to raise upwards of $50 million to stage the event here.

Neither Rendell nor Brady could be immediately reached for comment Tuesday.

City Democratic Party spokesman Ken Smukler said the paperwork to establish the nonprofit was still being worked on. The required documentation would be filed "within the week," he said.

Philadelphia hosted the 2000 Republican convention. Democrats have not convened here in decades.

Democrats' decision is not expected until late this year or early in 2015.

Some of the 2016 cities have obvious appeal for leading Democrats.

President Obama calls Chicago home, and Hillary Rodham Clinton grew up in the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge, Ill. She also represented New York as a U.S. senator. Vice President Biden has close ties to the Philadelphia region, having grown up in Scranton and represented Delaware for six terms in the Senate.

Republicans are also considering Las Vegas and Cleveland. Denver; Dallas; Kansas City, Mo.; and Cincinnati also remain on the Republican National Committee's list of potential hosts.