June 21, 2007

DENVER- With state delegation representatives in Denver this week for the first in a series of hotel site visits, the Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) today announced its plan for taking housing “green.” For the first time, the housing selection, assignment and booking process for state delegations attending the Democratic National Convention will be accomplished entirely online - a step that will save more than 50,000 sheets of paper in delegate mailings.

“We are proud to offer for the first time an online experience for our state delegates that will maximize efficiency in the housing process and help to make the Democratic National Convention greener than ever before,” said Leah Daughtry, CEO of the DNCC. “Looking for opportunities to design waste out of this Convention will be a goal of ours at every turn.”

For prior conventions, the DNCC would typically send large packets of hotel brochures, introductory letters and forms to delegation representatives. Using a website developed by Ambassadors, a Newport Beach, California based event-management company that specializes in housing reservation services, the state delegations will now be able to navigate the housing process online from start to finish. From providing the forms and information needed for delegations to identify and select the hotels best suited to their needs to facilitating the assignment of hotel and function space and ultimately the booking process for the members and guests of the 56 state delegations, the website will accommodate each step in the process.

Jerry McGee, Ambassadors’ President, stated, “Ambassadors is proud to have the opportunity to help streamline the Democratic National Convention’s housing process. While our portfolio of services is designed specifically to support large, complex events, the nature of this convention draws attention to the many benefits of online housing, including its eco-friendly aspect.”

In addition to receiving a user name and password allowing use of the secure site, each delegation is invited to send representatives to Denver to tour the official Democratic National Convention hotels during several scheduled site visits. The DNCC is encouraging delegation representatives to actively participate in the greening effort by, among other things, purchasing renewable energy credits to offset air, rail or car travel associated with their visits.

“I am honored to be hosting my state counterparts in Denver,” said Pat Waak, Chair of the Colorado Democratic Party. “Even more important is the opportunity to promote what we believe will be the ‘greenest’ convention in Democrats' history. The DNCC's new online housing process enables us to utilize a paperless innovation and increases the efficiency of deciding what will best fit the needs of our individual delegations.”

Added Mary Isenhour, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, "This website meets a gold standard in functionality and ease of use that is unprecedented in my past experiences. More importantly, it meets the green standard that we have set as our party's way of doing business."

In the more immediate lead-up to the Convention, the DNCC will also be working with official hotels and offering suggestions to green their properties and operations during Convention week. Suggestions will include offering onsite comprehensive reuse and recycling programs, implementing linen and towel reuse programs and exploring energy and water conservation options, among other steps.

Delegation representatives in town this week will tour hotel properties in Stapleton and the Denver Tech Center, which will, in conjunction with the DNCC transportation system, offer easy transit for delegates to the Pepsi Center via the Denver Regional Transportation District Light Rail (RTD Light Rail) system. Because of this system and its proximity to the Pepsi Center, a majority of delegates and participants will have the option of walking from hotels downtown or taking public transportation to the Convention. Additional hotel site visits for state delegations are scheduled in July and August.

About the DNCC:
The 2008 Democratic National Convention Committee is the official arm of the Democratic National Committee responsible for planning and organizing the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver. www.demconvention.com

Paid for by 2008 Democratic National Convention Committee, Inc. www.demconvention.com

Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.