Dallas, Other Cities Tempt GOP With a Little Swag to Land 2016 Convention

In the hunt for one of the nation's marquee political events, any little bonus can help. So in making their pitches to snare the Republican presidential convention, Dallas, Las Vegas, Cincinnati and others came bearing gifts. The trinket-filled swag bags that some cities recently passed out to GOP leaders are the latest symbol of an increasingly intense lobbying effort as the party prepares for site inspections next month.

It's the tourism equivalent of a hard-edged campaign in which each contender plays up its strengths while trying—sometimes in not-too-subtle messages—to undercut opponents.