The planned annex of the republican National Convention scheduled for Jacksonville, Florida in August will have activities cut and its audiences limited to address concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, CNN reports.
Audiences will be capped at a maximum of 7,500 people for both indoor and outdoor activities, meaning Donald Trump will not have his desired arena full of people to hear his nomination acceptance speech.
Attendance at events will be limited to the 2,500 convention delegates with one guest each.
“I want to make clear that we still intend to host a fantastic convention celebration in Jacksonville,” RNC chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel wrote to delegates and officials. “We can gather and put on a top-notch event that celebrates the incredible accomplishments of President Trump’s administration and his re-nomination for a second term — while also doing so in a safe and responsible manner.”
Because of North Carolina’s limits on gatherings and masks relating to stopping the spread of coronavirus, Trump demanded the RNC move the convention from Charlotte. This left Party officials scrambling for a new site that would allow Trump to speak to packed arenas, and they settled on Jacksonville.
Since that decision, however, Florida has seen a significant spike in coronavirus cases, recording as many as 15,000 in a single day, more than New York during the previous peak.
Certain administrative functions for the Party convention will still be held in Charlotte, essentially splitting the convention between the two cities: Charlotte, where the pro forma voting and policy platform discussions will take place, and Jacksonville, where speeches and parties will occur.
Jacksonville city officials, however, warn that the city’s part of the convention are all subject to fickle Florida weather during hurricane season.
“The [Daily’s Place Amphitheater] is nice because it’s covered and you can use the stadium’s lounges during concerts,” the official said. “They are looking for as many big tents as possible because it can rain every day. All bets are off if there’s a hurricane.”