‘Scaled Down’ RNC Will Take Place Across Several Venues In Jacksonville Due To COVID-19

The Republican National Convention in Jacksonville, Fla. will take place across several venues in an effort to disperse crowds and enhance social distancing due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has hit Florida particularly hard.

Florida has reported over 4,800 deaths and more than 327,000 cases – just over 15,600 of which are in Duval County.

A new memo sent by the Jacksonville Republican National Convention Host Committee on Thursday said the event will spread out across multiple indoor and outdoor venues and will limit the number of attendees permitted inside to only delegates until the final night on Aug. 27.

The first three days of the convention will be limited to “regular delegates only,” the memo reads. “For the final day when President Trump will publicly accept the nomination, we plan that each delegate, their guest, and alternate delegates will be permitted to attend.”

The committee plans to utilize the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, TIAA Bank Field, Daily’s Place Amphitheater,121 Financial Ballpark and “several other” venues.

Jacksonville is currently under a mandatory face mask order, though it is unclear if this will be enforced at the convention. Vice President Mike Pence met with the committee last week, without a mask.

“We plan to implement a variety of health protocols in order to ensure a safe event,” the host committee’s new memo said. “This plan includes but is not limited to on-site temperature checks, available PPE, aggressive sanitizing protocols, and available COVID-19 testing.”

Article by Katherine Huggins