Indianapolis and Newark looking at 2016 conventions

Never too early to start making noise about 2016. First Indianapolis:

Disappointment was evident when Indianapolis lost out in its effort to host the Republican National Convention in 2000.

As the city skyline will attest, a lot has changed in the last 11 years.

“We have the rooms now. Anything that would have held us back, we’ve addressed that,” said Eric Holcomb, Republican Party state chairman.

The city now boasts more hotel space, the construction of Lucas Oil Stadium and the convention center expansion.

“We have the ability to get this done and I think we should try it,” said Dan Parker, Democratic Party state chairman.

Indianapolis’ push for a political convention is already underway. The Democratic National Committee has already been here to visit. They came during the Indianapolis 500.

And we noted in August that northern NJ pols were expressing interest in the convention, and Newark Mayor Cory Booker followed up earlier this month:

It’s been more than 40 years since a national political convention came to New Jersey and political leaders say it’s about time the state got its due.

Mayor Cory Booker and Assemblyman Jon Bramnick (R-Union) sent a joint letter this week to both national parties urging them to consider Newark as the host of the 2016 Democratic or Republican national convention.

The last convention in New Jersey was held in Atlantic City in 1964, where President Lyndon B. Johnson was nominated for a full term.

The tentative proposal calls for the first three days of the convention to be held in Newark, and the acceptance speeches to be held at the MetLife Sports Complex in the Meadowlands.

Despite Booker’s close relationship with President Obama and Gov. Chris Christie’s star power with Republicans nationally, delegates from both parties will take some convincing, experts say.

“A lot of it has to do with the real and perceived assets of the city,” said Rutgers history professor, Clement Price. “That is going to be an issue.”

But events like the NCAA Men’s quarterfinals, the International Peace Summit with the Dalai Lama, the filming of “Batman,” as well as Prudential’s rising status as a major U.S. arena may have burnished the city’s credentials enough to convince party leaders, Booker and others say.

Batman was filmed in Newark? Might as will give the convention to Newark today. How could any other city beat those credentials?