Just a reminder, this is looming in our future.
Houston isn’t taking any chances.
As host of the next Republican National Convention in 2028, the city has dispatched teams to Milwaukee this week to get a handle on how to prepare for the crush of visitors, intense security and traffic that comes with hosting what is the biggest political gathering for the GOP in the nation.
Since Friday, officials from the city have been taking note of the security logistics and overall operations to try and see what is working and what they might have to do differently when the convention comes to Texas, bringing with it 50,000 visitors and an estimated $200 million economic impact.
“It’s an invaluable amount of time we are able to spend so we can assure 2028 the best convention that the Republicans have ever hosted,” said Michael Heckman of Houston First Corporation, city’s destination marketing organization.
While Houston has plenty of experience hosting big conventions and sporting events, the intense security measures over a week make hosting a national convention a different challenge.
Wisconsin County Executive David Crowley said about 4 square miles of downtown Milwaukee has been completely blocked off to residents. Military grade barriers and law enforcement-manned checkpoints strictly control all access in and out of the downtown.
“Making sure that this is secure is probably the biggest logistical thing you have to deal with,” Crowley said.
See here for the previous entry. My advice remains the same, avoid at all costs. I feel bad for the shops and restaurants that will be inside the security perimeter, as they will get hosed by that restriction, but I feel worse for the rest of us.
Remembering the clown show in 1992, I don’t anticipate anything less horrible.
I was living just outside the west gate of the Astrodome in 1992 and would, after work, waddle down there to listen to the self-appointed RNC gurus spouting their right wing ideologies. Way more entertaining than watching Roseanne, Home Improvement, Murphy Brown, etc., on the boob tube.