Philadelphia Secures $35M Line of Credit to Bid for 2028 DNC

City aims to repeat 2016 convention hosting after losing 2024 event to Chicago

Apr. 15, 2026 at 10:48pm

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A photorealistic painting of the Philadelphia City Hall building in warm, golden sunlight, with deep shadows across the facade, conveying the civic pride and political significance of the city's bid to host the 2028 Democratic National Convention.Philadelphia's historic City Hall stands as a symbol of the city's political ambitions to host the 2028 Democratic National Convention.Philadelphia Today

The city of Philadelphia has moved forward with a proposal backed by Democratic Mayor Cherelle Parker's office to establish a $35 million line of credit to support bringing the Democratic National Convention back to the city in 2028. The credit line marks a $20 million increase from the city's previous credit line established in 2015 to host the 2016 DNC.

Why it matters

Philadelphia is seeking to host the 2028 DNC after losing the 2024 convention to Chicago. The city previously hosted the 2016 DNC, which nominated Hillary Clinton as the Democratic presidential candidate. Securing the line of credit is a key step in Philadelphia's bid to bring the high-profile political event back to the swing-state city.

The details

The City Council advanced the credit-line bill on Monday as the city seeks to host the 2028 DNC. If the bid is successful, Philadelphia would take the convention from Chicago, which hosted the event in 2024. The eight-figure line of credit would help the city if the fundraising committee does not reach its goals for the convention, though the mayor's office has 'full confidence' in the fundraising committee.

  • The City Council advanced the credit-line bill on Monday (April 15, 2026).
  • Philadelphia previously hosted the 2016 DNC.

The players

Cherelle Parker

The Democratic mayor of Philadelphia.

Vanessa Garrett Harley

The city's chief deputy mayor.

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What they’re saying

“The mayor's office has 'full confidence' in the fundraising committee.”

— Vanessa Garrett Harley, Chief Deputy Mayor

What’s next

Philadelphia will now work to finalize its bid to host the 2028 DNC, with the line of credit providing financial backing for the effort.

The takeaway

Philadelphia's move to secure a $35 million line of credit demonstrates the city's determination to bring the high-profile Democratic National Convention back to the swing-state city after hosting the event in 2016. The increased credit line from the previous convention signals the city's confidence in its ability to successfully host the 2028 DNC.