Philadelphia is one of 15 cities that could be the location of the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
The Democratic National Committee has asked Philadelphia and 14 other cities to make a pitch to host the presidential nominating convention in 2016.
The DNC on Tuesday said the party will accept proposals through June 6 and will pick a host city either late this year or early in 2015.
In addition to Philly, the cities under consideration are Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Miami, Nashville, Orlando, Phoenix, Pittsburgh and Salt Lake City.
Last March, a group of political, labor, business and community leaders in Philly announced they were putting together their pitch for the city to host the DNC. U.S. Congressman Bob Brady is spearheading the effort, which includes more than 60 of the city's most influential and powerful people.
"How many hotel beds do we need?" asked Cindy Bass, a Philadelphia City Council member. "How many do we have? Should we think about the additional building and the things that are required to go into planning for such a large scale convention. Should we make those investments now as a city?"
Former Gov. Ed Rendell is chairing a nonprofit group that aims to raise about $50 million, mostly from corporations, to stage the convention at the Wells Fargo Center in 2016.
The former Philadelphia mayor and one-time chair of the Democratic National Committee said that when Republicans came to Philadelphia for their convention in 2000, it was an unqualified success.
Supporters say the convention could pump $300 million into the region's economy.
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A Democratic National Convention hasn't been held in Philadelphia since 1948.
