Lunch with Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper

Today a few folks in Democrats Abroad Japan, had a great chance to attend a lunch reception with the Hon. John Hickenlooper, Mayor of Denver, and host of the upcoming DNC Convention in August. He was speaking to the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan and reaching out to the Japanese concerning economic and trade relationships between his city and the Japanese government.

It was a great lunch and speech. The Mayor talked a lot about how they are doing it differently in Denver; green standards, new light rail, urban art events, issue based symposiums and this very cool program/competition Cinemocracy. (I am hoping to encourage our own Doc Wendel to send something into this one.)

The Mayor is a dynamic public servant, with a great take on running a city and building a better future for his fellow citizens of Denver. Plus he makes good beer.

I will be in Denver as a conventional attendee, DNC member this summer (the convention opens on my birthday 8/25!) and it was great to hear first hand some of the plans and ideas that they are working on for this historic event. Sounds like they really have their heads around what it will take to host a world class convention and I am really looking forward to it.

They will even have free bikes! See more about the planning in this behind the convention special report as covered on local tv.