By Jennifer Peter, Associated Press, 11/13/02

A CHANGED CITY Two major ongoing construction projects are scheduled to be complete by the time the Democratic convention is held in July 2004: The Big Dig The new underground Central Artery is scheduled to be fully open by the time the convention arrives, but it's unclear how much of the existing elevated highway will have been demolished. Portions of the highway are scheduled to remain in use through late 2003. (Globe File Photo) Convention center The new, 1.6 million square foot Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, now under construction in South Boston, is scheduled to open in June 2004, a month before the Democratic convention arrives. (Globe File Photo)  CONVENTION QUESTIONS What will it cost the city to host the convention? $50 million. Local businesses have pledged to cover more than $20 million of that cost How much money will the convention pump into the local economy? $150 million, according to city estimates Where will it be held? FleetCenter How many people will attend? Approximately 35,000 Where will delegates and volunteers stay? At area hotels and in university dormitories  DNC REQUIREMENTS 17,000 hotel rooms Capable of hosting 50,000 visitors Strong union presence and history of respecting workers’ rights Transportation infrastructure that can safely move delegates, press, and visitors Compiled by Boston.com Staff

BOSTON -- A center of political intrigue since Colonial times, Boston won its first presidential convention Wednesday after a rigorous lobbying campaign by the state's Democratic establishment and the promise of millions in corporate cash.

A jubilant Mayor Thomas Menino heralded Boston's selection to host the 2004 Democratic National Convention as a chance to showcase the city's newly polished image and infuse $150 million into the state economy.

The convention, which will be held the week of July 26, will create an estimated 5,000 jobs and draw 50,000 delegates, journalists and visitors to the city's hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions.

Surrounded by business and community leaders, Menino received a congratulatory phone call from national Democratic Party Chairman Terry McAuliffe and U.S. Sens. Edward M. Kennedy and John Kerry from Washington.

"This is a great day for Boston and 2004 will be a great year for our party," Kennedy said. "We are the cradle of liberty, of our values as a party and as a country. We are going to tell the story of Boston in that convention."

Kerry, who is expected to vie for the presidential nomination awarded at the convention, said the event would "show America the city upon a hill."

"They are really going to see what the core and heart of our country is, where we came from," Kerry said.

Boston edged out New York, Miami and Detroit for the right to hold the gathering, the first time in the city's history it would host a major party national convention.

McAuliffe, who made the final decision moments after a Democratic National Committee panel made its recommendation, said Boston is an ideal setting with its 68 colleges and universities, world-class health care, high-tech sector, and strong diversity.

"Perhaps no city better embodies that American spirit, from the Boston Tea Party to Paul Revere's midnight ride to the battle of Bunker Hill, the story of Boston is the story of America's struggle for freedom," McAuliffe said.

The decision puts the convention in one of the country's liberal bastions, the lone state to give 1972 presidential candidate George McGovern a win over Republican President Richard Nixon. (The District of Columbia also favored McGovern that year.)

New York, New Orleans and Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla., are being considered for the GOP convention, which will be held the week of Aug. 30. Republicans are expected to pick the host city by early December.

"Although we are disappointed by the Democratic National Committee's decision, we continue to make our case to the Republican National Committee and remain optimistic that they will make history by selecting New York City as the site of their 2004 convention," said Ed Skyler, spokesman for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

The convention will attract the national spotlight to a city on the verge of finishing several extensive public works projects, most prominently the over-budget and past-due Big Dig.

Also on display will be a new convention center, a cleaned up harbor, and major improvements at Logan International Airport.

The convention will be held at the 19,000-seat FleetCenter, home to the Boston Celtics and the Boston Bruins, as well as concerts and other events.

Whether the local convention will benefit Kerry, a likely candidate for president, is uncertain. But it will be held in his political backyard, along with that of two other potential presidential hopefuls from New England: former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean and U.S. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, D-Conn.

Menino and Kennedy wooed the 45 members of the Democratic National Committee's site advisory committee with tours of the city's historic neighborhoods, reminders of the state's strong Democratic ties, and more than $20 million in cash pledges from Boston businesses to underwrite the city's $49.5 million convention budget.

Party leaders said this type of financial pledge was unprecedented and helped boost the city's bid.

To be a candidate, the Democratic National Committee required cities to have at least 17,000 hotel rooms, the ability to house 50,000 visitors, a solid transportation infrastructure, and strong union presence.

Menino pledged that the $14.6 billion Big Dig, officially known as The Central Artery/Third Harbor Tunnel Project, "will be buttoned up for the most part" by the summer of 2004.

Menino and community leaders said it also gives the city a chance to shed its reputation as an intolerant city lacking in diversity.

"I've lived in the old Boston but I'm proud resident of the new Boston," said state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson, D-Boston, who is black. "The new Boston got the convention and brought it here."

Even Massachusetts Republicans celebrated the announcement as a milestone for the capitol city.

"I want Boston to be an example of a great convention destination," Gov.-elect Mitt Romney said in a statement. "I am fully supportive of the effort to bring the Democratic National Convention to Boston and will do whatever I can to make sure the convention is highly successful."