The Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee is being shifted to a largely virtual format and is to be held in a smaller venue to limit the potential spread of COVID-19.
The normally weeklong event will instead take place over four days from August 17 to August 20. Much of the event will be held virtually, with the Democratic National Convention Committee in a press release calling it a “Convention Across America.”
Former Vice President Joe Biden will still accept the Dem nomination in the city, but the ceremony’s location has moved from the new Fiserv Forum arena to the smaller Wisconsin Center.
Delegate voting will also now occur virtually instead of in-person.
Mayor Tom Barrett said he was still proud the city will host a national party nomination for the first time in history, but it was “impossible to predict” what the convention would look like given the ongoing pandemic.
“No one could have ever predicted what we’ve experienced as a nation, as a world, as a city, over the last four months,” he said. “Obviously this is not something that I’m excited about.”
Barrett added the city had originally anticipated an influx of around $200 million to the local economy from the convention, but it’s now more likely the actual economic gains will be a “fraction” of that.
See the release: https://www.demconvention.com/press-releases/anchored-in-milwaukee-2020-democratic-national-convention-will-be-a-convention-across-america/
