(CNN) - The Republican National Committee has officially taken the reins of St. Paul, Minnesota's Xcel Energy Center, site of the party's 2008 national convention.
In an informal ceremony held at the site Monday morning, a cardboard "key" to the arena was presented to Republican officials, who have officially rented the facility until at least September 4. Soon after, around 100 workers began filing in to begin the physical changes.
Eventually, 600 workers are slated to labor on-site. Rows of chairs will be removed; box suites will be turned into television studios.
"It's technically a construction site, but we're not really constructing anything," said convention press secretary Joanna Burgos. "It's really just aesthetics inside - a lot of refurbishing and transforming into something else."
From CNN Politics
© 2011 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Contact us | Work for us | Help
Your 8 years are up. It’s time for others to clean up your mess.
OBAMA for AMERICA 08
MMMmmm! Cardboard key! Perfect symbol of a flat-earth 2-Dimensional party and candidate...
This is where all the heads of the mob families will meet!
Whoop dee do-who cares?
The Democratic Convention will be the hottest ticket in town. You can call it a spectacle, but I call it an American pastime. Imagine that, Americas invested and interested in their government. I've never seen anything like it, and as long as I live, I don't think I'll see it again
what a waste of time.they should just rent a baseball stadium....theres plenty of room for everyone ...in the dugouts.
Whoop dee do—who cares?
The Democratic Convention will be the hottest ticket in town. You can call it a spectacle, but I call it an American pastime. Imagine that, Americans invested and interested in their government. I've never seen anything like it, and as long as I live, I don't think I'll see it again
OK, and what?
I'm sure somebody's basement will do fine. Who in their right mind is supporting john mccain?
Instead of transforming the convention site aesthetically, the GOP needs some serious tranformation of the GOP itself.
Their convention may not be the stuff of rock stars, but at least they have a legitimate and qualified nominee.
The second-tier, undemocratic Democratic Party losership stuck us with a rhetorician-without-a-record.
Please help us.
"a lot of refurbishing and transforming into something else"
How appropriate for John McCain.
That undoubtedly will be the most boring convention in recent memory.
I hope they leave a lot of room outside for the protestors! I can only imagine how many will be there this time!
This is what they choose to spend money on a lot of "asthetics". Too bad it wont win them the White House in November.
BARACK THE VOTE 2008!!!
How many people will it hold?
I hope they have a "get out of Minnesota" strategy. They certainly didn't have one for Iraq.
Minnesota will have to invest in some industrial-strength de-lousing spray after they've gone. They are sure to leave a stench.
NotFallingInLine.org– Murphy needs you to send some more letters to Dean, Donna, Pelosi and the superdelegates. You don't have time to be on this ticker commenting. Get busy if you want Hillary placed in nomination. HA HA HA
I'm voting for Obama, but good luck to the GOP in transforming the Convention Center. This is an American process, and not a dictatorship. So may the best man win, and I hope that man is Barack Obama.
Obama 08
Go ahead and spend your money, the people will speak this fall, and it will be a BAD BAD day for the republican party. And well deserved at that!
The republican party is about to take their rightful place among the other betrayers of true american patriots...in historys waste basket
"It's really just aesthetics inside — a lot of refurbishing and transforming into something else."
Is that about McCain or the building?
No matter what all you libs say I have 3 words Reid, Pelosi & Dean........HAHHAHAH oh Hold On HAHAHAHAHA. Nice representation HAHAHAHAH I just fell off my chair HAHAHAHAHAH.
Doesnt she have one of her special parades to attend in San Francisco that weekend? HAHAHAHAHA
I seriously doubt if the Gay Old Party needs a venue as large as Xcel for their convention. Will they have problems filling it???? The crowds that McCain has been drawing so far, look anything but enthused. I always wonder if there is someone behind the scenes holding up a sign that says APPLAUSE when McCain thinks he has said something worthy, lol.
Obama/Biden, 08 or Hagel or Clark....
Good grief! All that time and money for a few nights' use? Seems over the top. I thought the Republicans were supposed to be the party of fiscal restraint.
Yeah baby, lets get the party started. I can't wait to watch the coverage of the RNC as a new member. I was for the DEMS but when they stole the election and gave it to that boy, i said "no way" I represent the majority and as a majority I do have certain inalianabel rights. Such as the right to select the candidate we want and not picked by urban people. We are takinf over the red states and will convert blue states this time.
McCain is out best hope.
Don't forget to call some minorities and let them know that you will pay to have them onstage as a prop for John-I'm-just-like-you McSame.
Have you ever noticed how John and Hillary for that matter, will make it a point to find a minority, and stand right in front of them so America will think they're inclusive?
My husband and I play a game called "Where's the black person" because every politician runs to them for a photo opt. We're black by the way, and we think it's insulting. Just stand in front of Americans, the color of their skin does not matter.
Obama 08
While it's nice that 600 people will be employed, I think the Republicans should save their money on this one. Donate it to charity.
Instead of a GOP convention, let's get a giant clock and count the seconds as to win we will vote for Barack.
Tick Tock Bush, tick tock John–the gig is up.
Obama 08
I live in Denver and I can tell you that no one; Republicans and Democrats alike want their convention here. How about each party builds their own arena at one place and agrees to hold it there every 4 years instead of turning our cities into war zones so they can celebrate their pre-determinded nominees.
High school gym will be perfect...sure they have the number of chairs GOP'S need ...not more not less
I'm so happy GW is leaving. I think on election day I'm just going to cry. No, I'm going to pray, go vote for Barack, and then cry from shear joy. Our long national nightmare, filled with torture, foreclosures, extreme gas, food and housing prices will be over.
Obama 08
Who cares......they don't even need to have a convention, cause they are irrelevant this election year!! Even the Iraqi's and the rest of the world know it!
John is using his time wisely. He knows he can't pay to get attention when Barack is in the country.
Obama 08
I week long party for morons (ir mean morons, oops i mean Mormans)
paligomists, racists, grumpy seniors, moonshine making hillbillies, sourthern dixie red necks, Hillary Clinton, her PUMA brigade of racists, and gun packing war mongers to get together and kiss their first cousins...Have fun repooblicants
The Xcel Energy Center is a beutiful arena! I'm excited to see the republicans there in September!
Typical left wing media, the NY Times. They don't like McCain because he is not an inexperienced liberal. So, they won't publish his rebukes of their slanted agenda. That's why real thinkers don't read the liberal rag of New York. They simply laugh at it!
I bet the dem convention will be handing out wellfare checks and food stamps.........Oh wait that cant happen untill a Dem is elected and the unemployment flies through the roof
demorats=lazy
democrats= free hand outs
democrats=punish the educated
Hey John, if you put a pork chop around your neck, you might get a dog to listen to you. The country is moving on...and you can go with us or stay behind with George Bush.
Obama 08
Maybe they can at least try to formulate a platform to restore this country's infrastructure and take a windshield tour to Minneapolis's catastrophic bridge failure in August 2007, the Interstate 35W bridge which collapsed into the Mississippi River. The decay of basic infrastructure in this country is very real. What good is it to talk about drilling for more oil if there are no roads and bridges to drive on.
McPain called me a Whiner from Nation of Whiners.
I denounce McCain and Satan
OBAMA (2008 -16)
HaHaHa!!!! McSame has zero credibility even the NYT knows that..
Obama 2008
Another AARP meeting...........
What a laugh...McCain is McSain......
To funny....No one will be there but old people (70 and up)
Monday, July 21, 2008:
The Nevada Republican Party canceled its state convention for lack of interest. A quorum is 675 and only 300 people signed up. The delegates to the national convention will be chosen in a conference call.
Quote from electoral-vote.com
Hey "whiner in a mental recession,"
Don't forget the letter to Don Fowler and Alice Germond. We're sending that one out today.
Btw, thanks for the compliment!
Knoxville
NOT FALLING IN LINE behind failed undemocratic leaders and THEIR selectee.
Please let me post here, as your NY Times thread closed quickly.
I had posted that there was article at patriotroom.com and I wanted to add that I think the article may be tongue-in-cheek or a mockery type of piece.
In any regard, a free press is to be cherished and used wisely.
YAWNNNNNNNNNNN!
Dear Hillary Backer for McCain.
Barack Obama is not a "boy". You'll find that out in November when he is elected. Be sure to watch your televison in January when he becomes your next president–you racist pig.
Obama 08
I'm so excited to hear that Republicans are going to have a great event so they can come up with a way to scare us to voting for them again. Maybe a another terror attack would help them (isn't that what McCain's advisors want).
Now that they've delivered to their corporations and defense contractors, they'll need plenty of doors and tables for their backdoor deals and under-the-table payments.
Republican politicians have become nothing more than political prostitutes!
I feel sorry for the people in my former home state.
I'm shocked also that companies that we all know and love like 3M have footed the bill for the convention of the party that likely has an administration guilty of war crimes – and a new candidate that wants to continue the policies in spite of being the recipient of the same treatment.
May the ghost of Hubert Humphrey show up and cause havoc!
Decorating Suggestions for the GOP Convention Center:
Red–for the unnecessary blood that was shed in Iraq.
White–for the whitewashing you did to our Constitution.
Blue–for the way you're going to feel in November when we elect Barack Obama as our next president.
Obama 08
It will, at least, be more serious than the Oprah/Obama extravaganza–they will be nominating a PRESIDENTIAL candidate–not a grinning movie-star wannabee.
You can put lipstick on the elephant, but in reality its still just a very large pig.
Do you think if obama wins he will give the same speech as Pelosi did talking about how much she was going to accomplish in the first 100 days? How has that worked out for us, oh thats right the worst approval rating in history even lower then Bush
I saw today that Nevada CANCELLED its GOP Convention.
Reason, LACK OF INTEREST.
That is all
Why not spend the money on something useful?
As a Minnesotan – GET OUT!!! We don't want you here.
To all the alleged Hillary supporters who are still whining SHUT UP! You lost, get over it. If you were really Democrats there is NO WAY you could vote for McCain. OH and to hillarybacker for mccain, racist much?
could not post on the NYT article:
McCain...they wont publish my letter, WHAAAAAAAAA WHAAAAAAAA WHAAAAAAA!!!! Cindy Lou, they are such bad mens. i am going to take a trip to the Pak/Iraq boarder and I'll show em
These aren't Hillary supporters that are whining, they are Republicans blogging as Democrats working the division angle. Pity that they're so ashamed of their own party that they have to represent themselves as posers.
Will they be offering tours of Larry Craig's gay pickup toilet stall?
Dont forget Rush Limbaugh,the slob,with his minions of mindless morons as a side show.Two or three of his paid operatives blog using about 300 names,its so funny.
Whaaaaa Whaaaaa Whaaaaa they wont publish my letter-John McCain is not fit for office. forget Minnesota GOP you should have your convention on the Pak/Iraq boarder
Republican fools and their money will soon be part. A sincere thanks for the convention money. Minnesota ( a democratic state) appreciates the donation.
I wonder if they closed the science museum already and if they've arranged for extra police for the catholics to protect them against the evil Atheists who'd say, "It's a stupid cracker, get over it!"
this article bores me, i couldnt care less about the GOP's farce to be!
as for the NYT editorial: newspapers and magazines direct the content of their publications all the time. it's not "telling mccain what to say", and in fact the NYT did mccain a HUGE favor b/c that kind of nasty, blaming editorial would have sunk him even further. he should be THANKING the times!!!
it's going to be SOOOOOOOOOO NICE to have DECENT, INTELLIGENT, POSITIVE, PATRIOTIC, PRO-AMERICA, AND PRO-AMERICANS in the white house!! there has been more than enough ugliness, divisiveness, GREED, lies, stealing, hatred...those are NOT traits of our wonderful country and citizens. buh bye haters!
SENIOR CITIZEN GIG!!!
I wonder how many people the RNC is expecting to show up?
As they say in academic circles, 'if you apply a high enough voltage you can make a dead frog jump'. Of course you pump huge amounts of troops, equipment and money with no bar on casualties (as it inevitably happened) as part of the surge you will get ostensible progress. However the question to ask is, did the the colossal waste of human life and national treasure and neglect of the real war in Afghanistan, justify the Iraq war. The answer is clear. Mr McCain you are on the wrong side of this one.
Cant wait, sorry RNC I will not be able to attend many liberals are counting on my paycheck so I will be at work
What really bothers me about McCain is his endless and useless false ads! I think people see them as a joke now, just stop already.
We wont "get over it" We wont and were not all middle age females or rednecks you liberal kool aide drinkers.
Now this is a convention I will be looking forward to.
Stay Sane.... Vote Mc Cain.
Hillary 2012
What ever this stupid republicans do they can not win Minnesota, We are voting democrat and Obama is going to win in minnesota 65/35 over McShame.
"I represent the majority and as a majority I do have certain inalianabel rights. "
WOW....You really should have stayed in school.
Dem paple wood hab learnt you sum gud wurds...
WHO CARES ?
I DON'T NEED A CONVENTION IN BIG SPACE JUST A TOWNHALL WITH 150 SEATS. PLEASE... PLEASE... PLEASE... DON'T YOU SEE ....
SIGNED MCCAIN
Avoid the trauma, stop Obama! I tried, but it's not too late. Please.
Nero fiddled as rome burned, and the GOP plan a party as they gut our country raw. If you feel barack is not the micheal Jordan, or tiger woods, of politics you need a spanking from your grand daddy, because that is who you are trying to elect.
The world is tired of Old Men making the rules, why elect another one.
next.
I cant wait until Obama wins the Genreral Election in November! And when he takes office January 20 2009.
I want to see what all of the "so called Democrats" that don't or refuse to support Obama do, when they try to get their agenda pushed, and he laughs in their faces. Karma is somthing else baby!
All of those Hillary Clinton supporters, Racist Democrats and and Racist independents will be kissing Obama behind to even get their agenda's considered by an Obama Administration. and I just CAN'T WAIT until that happens.
ANd even if Barack looses Hillary will never win nomination in 2012.
The Dittoheads will CRY and CHEW their teeth come November when Obama wins by LANDSLIDE.