CHICAGO - The Chicago hotel where journalists coined the phrase “smoke-filled room” to denote a backroom deal by political heavyweights reopened for business on Wednesday after a refurbishment.

It was from a suite of rooms on the fourth floor of the Blackstone Hotel that Republican party leaders emerged in June 1920 to declare Ohio Sen. Warren Harding the surprise nominee. The Republican party convention convention deadlocked over two other candidates.

Legend has it that a cloud of cigar smoke poured from the room as they came out to make the announcement to assembled journalists, who coined the phrase that entered the American political lexicon. It refers to a behind-the-scenes move by party bosses to pick candidates.

Some historians credit Harding’s friend Harry Daugherty with creating the phrase ahead of the convention.   Harding was subsequently elected the 29th U.S. president.

The original smoke-filled room was redone as part of a $100 million refurbishment of the once-decrepit Georgian Michigan Avenue landmark. Smoking is no longer permitted in the room.

The phrase has made something of a comeback this political season, with Democrats closely divided between two presidential hopefuls that could end up leaving it to nearly 800 party elites called superdelegates to choose the party’s nominee. 

Presumably, conventioneers in Denver can find a place where smoking is allowed.

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