While the economic benefit to Denver from hosting the Democratic National Convention remains to be seen, one group assured of a windfall are limousine companies. In fact, there's already a supply shortage, according to Limousine Association of Colorado President Gene Cookenboo. 9News reports:

According to records, 271 limo companies are registered at DIA. However, Cookenboo says the majority of those companies only have one to three cars. It comes at a time when limo companies are expected to make 125 runs a day during the DNC compared to 80 during a normal week. "We're simply running out of cars," said Cookenboo. ....Cookenboo says the DNC is expected to pump an additional half million dollars into the local limo industry. He says some people attending the DNC from other states are expected to also bring their own cars and drivers.

For those of you who left booking a limo until the last minute and now can't get one, here's some good news. Parking downtown is not expected to be a problem, and the parking garages are not going to price-gouge. According to LaRay Brown, general manager of Central Parking Systems (via the Rocky Mountain News):

"We may see a 15 to 20 percent drop in business because we believe the local business won't be here as much that week," Brown said. "We're not planning on having any rate increases. I hear that there are one or two facilities that think they may increase rates."

The last time I went from dinner in LoDo to a concert at the Pepsi Center, I went by rickshaw, otherwise known as a pedicab. It was fun, cheap, and fast. Maybe renting a rickshaw and driver instead of a limo for the night is the way to go. If you're interested, check out Colorado Rickshaw and Mile Hi Pedicabs.