By ideastream's Brian Bull
It’s been one year to the day since Cleveland was officially chosen to host the 2016 Republican National Convention.
David Gilbert is President of the RNC Host Committee. He told a group of small business people today (Wednesday) that there are opportunities and challenges in the year ahead leading up to the convention.
Neither the Pedestrian Bridge connecting downtown with the lakefront nor the Innerbelt Bridge will be finished in time, but plans are underway to reserve shoulder space on highways for convention buses.
Gilbert says he expects some 50,000 attendees and thousands of protesters to swarm into Cleveland next July.
“And I can tell you right now that the city will be bringing in thousands… thousands…of outside law enforcement," says Gilbert. "From Ohio and every contiguous state, they’re already reaching out to and have commitments from….whether it’s the Ohio State Police in Columbus, and…it’ll be every law enforcement jurisdiction within a radius, will be asked to come in and help.”
Gilbert says cities hosting political conventions have received federal security funding of $50 million to help keep order.
He says the Secret Service has already chosen its lead agent for RNC security, and that person is currently moving to Cleveland.