Brooklyn, Philly and Columbus annnounced as finalists for 2016 Democratic Convention

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- The Democratic National Committee will hold its 2016 convention in Brooklyn, Philadelphia or Columbus, DNC officials announced Monday. Birmingham and Phoenix were eliminated as potential host sites.

"We're thrilled to move to the next step of the selection process to determine where Democrats will come together to nominate the 45th President of the United States," DNC Chairwoman Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said in a statement.

"We are fortunate to have such a diverse and vibrant group of cities interested in hosting this special event and we thank Phoenix and Birmingham for showcasing their special communities. We look forward to working with Columbus, New York, and Philadelphia as we go forward."

The 2016 Democratic National Convention will be held July 18, July 25 or Aug. 22. DNC officials were initially considering Cleveland as a potential host site, but the Republican National Convention picked Cleveland for their 2016 caucus.