TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — As other states take a slower approach to easing their coronavirus restrictions, Florida has emerged as a prime contender for their business. From baseball games to political conventions, ​the Sunshine State is being positioned as a surrogate host​ to some of the nation's marquee events​, opening the door to an economic resurgence that could nonetheless carry some significant risks.

As part of his 'Safe, Smart, Step-by-Step' plan to reopen Florida's economy, Gov. Ron DeSantis is now inviting professional sports franchises to play games in Florida if they agree to do so in arenas devoid of fans. ​Major League Baseball is a particular prospect as its 2020 season remains suspended amid continuing state lockdowns.

And Tuesday, the governor spoke favorably of a Sunday suggestion by Vice President Mike Pence that the Republican National Convention could be relocated to Florida if officials in North Carolina block the event from taking place in Charlotte for health reasons.

In fact, DeSantis said, both major parties should think seriously about holding their nominating conventions in the Florida.

"Florida would love to have the RNC," he told reporters. "Heck, I'm a Republican; it would be good for us to have the DNC in terms of the economic impact, when you talk about major events like that. So, my posture on all this is, we should try to get it done."

While the strategy could yield great riches — including countless new jobs — at a time when the state's tourism-based economy desperately needs them, it could also introduce ​health risks. Even sporting events held in empty arenas require support staff like trainers, doctors, referees and television crews that collectively represent density concerns, encouraging the virus to spread.

Political conventions, even scaled-down versions of the traditional confabs that draw thousands of delegates and alternates, could be even riskier.

But supporters of the governor's strategy point to Florida's experience with a series of Ultimate Fighting Championship matches in Jacksonville this month as a road map to hosting events safely.

"It did lack the normal energy that you'd get when you're inside a stadium or arena and you have the crowd on their feet," said Jason Pirozzolo, a sports medicine doctor at Orlando Hand Surgery Associates who is one of Florida's three dozen state-certified ringside physicians and was on duty at the UFC matches.

"Everybody that stepped into the arena was tested, everybody wore masks, wore gloves, there were no spectators...and everybody maintained the appropriate social distance," he said. "It could not have gone any better from a medical standpoint."

Not all marquee events are created equal, however, and hosting them amid a pandemic is unprecedented in modern times.​ The challenge for state leaders will be weighing the economic benefits against the potential public health consequences, a calculus few other states have been willing to so much as explore.