Romney tickets for book tour go on sale Thursday

SALT LAKE CITY — Still looking for that perfect gift for the Mitt Romney fans on your Christmas list?

How about a ticket to Romney's only Utah appearance on his upcoming tour to promote his just-finished book, "No Apology: The Case for American Greatness"?

It's not until March 13, but tickets for a speech by the former presidential candidate at the Salt Palace go on sale at 10 a.m. Thursday.

The tickets, priced at $25 through Jan. 31 or $95 with a private reception with Romney, include a pre-signed copy of the book that's scheduled to be released March 2.

The host of the event, the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics, has set up a Web site for ticket sales, www.mittromneyutah.com. They can also be purchased through Smith'sTix.

"We wanted to put the tickets on sale in time for people to buy their stocking-stuffers for Christmas," said institute director Kirk Jowers, a longtime Romney supporter.

The institute will break even on the costs of hosting the event if all of the tickets are sold, Jowers said, adding it hopes to make money for student scholarships through securing sponsors. Romney has waived his honorarium.

Jowers said Romney will deliver a Saturday evening speech "based on the themes of his book. It's his ideas on what America needs to do to remain the world's superpower … and that begins with a strong military, strong values and strong economy."

And although those were the same themes Romney campaigned on when he ran for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination, the former Olympic leader has yet to declare whether he'll try again for the White House.

"All I've heard from him is that he's focused on ideas and policies," Jowers said. Romney has kept busy since the election, raising money to help other GOP candidates through his political action committee.

Romney follows another possible 2012 contender to Utah, Sarah Palin. Palin, who resigned last summer as governor of Alaska, signed copies of her new book, "Going Rogue" for more than 800 people last week at the Salt Lake City Costco.

Some of her backers spent the night at the discount warehouse store to secure their place in line. While there was no charge to attend her book signing, Palin did not address the crowd.

"This event is completely different," Jowers said. "Romney will be giving a substantive address. It is a lecture, not a book signing."

Romney, who served a term as governor of Massachusetts, wrote an earlier book about his experience heading the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, "Turnaround."

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