Adelson — the owner of the Las Vegas Sands (which operates resorts and casinos all over the world, including the Venetian and the Palazzo in Vegas) — has a net worth of $40 billion, and he donated $100 million in 2012 to the campaigns of Newt Gingrich and then Mitt Romney.

“Sheldon is adamant that the GOP must go to Vegas,” said one source. Some GOPers fear that if Adelson doesn’t get his way, he’ll give a couple hundred million dollars to the Democrats just for spite.

The other five cities in contention are Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver and Kansas City.