DATES SET FOR DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.

Byline: Associated Press

The Democratic presidential nominating convention at the Staples Center will be held Aug. 14 through Aug. 17, 2000, the California Democratic Party announced Wednesday.

``It leaves about a week between the GOP convention in Philadelphia and ours,'' said Bob Mulholland, spokesman for the state party in Sacramento. ``It gives the networks just enough time to reposition and is certainly better than last time when the Summer Olympics in Atlanta backed us up to nearly Labor Day.''

Following months of sales pitches and heated negotiations, the Democrats officially announced on March 15 what had been assumed for weeks - that they would hold their national convention in Los Angeles for the first time in 40 years. Boston and Denver had also been in the running.

At the time, three possible weeks were being discussed - Aug. 14, 21 and 28 - but the actual decision required further talks.

The convention is expected to draw up to 40,000 visitors to Los Angeles, including 5,000 delegates, bringing an estimated $150 million to the local economy, not counting the value of international publicity to the city.

In recent weeks, party officials have been surveying nearly 90 hotels in the Los Angeles as they make arrangements to accommodate the convention influx.