Can Vegas even hope for a political convention?

If the decision to hold the 2016 Republican National Convention comes down to Las Vegas and Kansas City, Mo., Las Vegas should win hands down and running away.

History alone should make the choice: Las Vegas has never held a political convention; Kansas City was host of the 1976 convention that saw then-President Gerald Ford beat Ronald Reagan, but go on to lose the general election to Jimmy Carter.

Kansas City may have good barbecue, but it’s got bad political mojo for the GOP.

Other cities that may be vying for Republican hosting duties in 2016 include New Orleans and Salt Lake City. But neither can beat Las Vegas’ obvious advantages.

First, we’ve got the infrastructure. From our bustling airport to our taxis, limos and public transportation to our ample supply of hotel rooms to an army of hospitality employees, Las Vegas competes with the best tourist destinations in the country and wins every day.

Second, we’ve got the political symbolism: Las Vegas is a diverse, western city still struggling to emerge from the recession. It’s a symbol of resilience, and home to a vibrant and growing Hispanic community, whom the smart Republicans are trying to court.

And it’s also home to Sheldon Adelson, the No. 1 donor to Republican super-PACs in the 2012 election cycle.

Third, we’ve got the experience: We handle huge conventions every year with no problems. We’ve even hosted political debates before, in 2007 (Democrats) and in 2011 (Republicans).

Sure, there are downsides. Las Vegas’ reputation as a den of gambling and alcohol-soaked iniquity is not exactly congruent with the family values image of the Republican Party. But New Orleans — also said to be under consideration — isn’t exactly known for its quiet, churchgoing ways, either.

The convention site would be an issue: Apparently, there aren’t enough luxury boxes in the Thomas & Mack Center. The Las Vegas Convention Center might work, although it would require some serious, if temporary, remodeling for the event. MGM Resorts International plans to build a new 20,000-seat arena on the Strip, but it might not open in time to host convention events.

Fundraising could be a problem, too: Conventions are costly, about $60 million at least. But according to the website ProPublica, Adelson and his wife, Miriam, spent at least $98 million during the 2012 election cycle alone. A convention is cheap by comparison — and good business for his hotels.

Then there’s Nevada Republicans themselves. The Clark County Republican Party ran a disastrous caucus in 2012, taking more than a day to count votes. Party members denounced the national party for its rules on delegate selection, and some Nevada delegates cast votes at the national convention in Tampa, Fla., for Ron Paul, in defiance of party rules.

There are lingering trust issues.

But Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald has kept in close touch with national GOP chairman Reince Priebus, and he has been working hard behind the scenes to try to put Las Vegas in the running for a national convention.

On the other side of the aisle, Democrats have not yet begun their planning for the 2016 convention. But they should consider this: Six times in U.S. history, Republicans and Democrats have held their convention in the same city. It may be unusual, but it’s happened as recently as 1972, when both parties descended (at different times, obviously) on Miami Beach. And isn’t there a high-ranking Democratic official serving in Washington, D.C., who has some Las Vegas ties, who might persuade the Democratic National Committee to consider us?

A Las Vegas political convention — from either side of the aisle — may be a pipe dream, but there are some very good arguments to be made on the city’s behalf. There’s nothing that Chicago (which has hosted the most conventions at 25), Philadelphia (eight), New York City (six) or St. Louis (five) have that we can’t at least match.

How about it, national parties?

Steve Sebelius is a Las Vegas Review-Journal political columnist and author of the blog SlashPolitics.com. Follow him on Twitter (@SteveSebelius) or reach him at (702) 387-5276 or ssebelius@ reviewjournal.com.