Mitt Romney coming to Newport

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney plans to attend an evening fundraiser in Newport Beach on Friday.

Organized by a Romney fundraising committee, the private cocktail reception at the Balboa Bay Club and Resort is expected to draw high-profile GOP donors.

Individual tickets to the reception are $1,000, down from the original $2,500. Organizers said Wednesday that they were able to secure more space at the resort and discounted tickets to attract more donors.

Higher-level donors get more: $10,000 buys a photo for two people with the former Massachusetts governor; and $25,000 gets two tickets to a VIP reception and four tickets to the cocktail reception, in addition to a photo.

Orange County business and GOP leaders hosting the event include real estate investor and former U.S. Ambassador to Spain George Argyros; Republican Party of Orange County Chairman Scott Baugh; and Irvine Co. Chairman Donald Bren.

"Everybody's really energized and enthusiastic about Romney's campaign," said Victoria Street, president of the Newport Harbor Republican Women. "We, as a club, are really taking this as an opportunity to get people involved."

Orange County donors gave to the Romney campaign in March, when he hosted a fundraiser at a Shady Canyon home.

The committee Romney Victory Inc. will split the Bay Club event's proceeds among the Romney campaign, the Republican National Committee and the Republican Party in Idaho, Massachusetts, Oklahoma and Vermont.

The Newport stop is part of a California trip that also includes fundraisers in Bakersfield and Silicon Valley on Wednesday and San Diego on Saturday.

When President Barack Obama visited Corona del Mar in February, hundreds of protesters and supporters lined the streets. Jeff and Nancy Stack, a real estate developer and philanthropist, hosted that event at their home.

Newport Beach City Manager Dave Kiff recently sent the Obama campaign a $35,000 bill for police protection and traffic support.

Kiff said in the Daily Pilot's online comments section that he would also bill Romney's campaign if his campaign uses Police Department overtime.

mike.reicher@latimes.com

Twitter: @mreicher