Calhoun Times

Downtown Rome preps for Donald Trump rally at Forum

- From staff, wire reports Frankie Taggart, US politics correspond­ent for AFP, contribute­d to this report.

Former President Donald Trump will hold a rally in downtown Rome Saturday, just days ahead of Georgia’s March 12 presidenti­al preference primary.

All precincts will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on for Tuesday’s primary election day.

But in between there’s the Trump rally at the Forum, which is expected to draw thousands of supporters from across Northwest Georgia and Eastern Alabama to Rome’s downtown district.

Tickets are required, but they’re free. They’re available, two per mobile number, online through the Trump website: DonaldJTru­mp. com/events.

While the rally doesn’t start until 5 p.m., doors open at 11 a.m. and local officials are preparing for a major influx of people and traffic conges

tion all day. Over 20,000 people attended Trump’s 2020 rally at Richard B. Russell Regional Airport. The Forum’s capacity is a little over 3,000.

Rome and Floyd County police, along with the sheriff’s office and county emergency management agency, are working together with the Secret Service on the plans.

They’re alerting motorists to expect delays, and possibly changes in some traffic patterns as Trump’s motorcade travels through the county into the downtown area. Drivers who aren’t attending the campaign event are advised to take Ga. Loop 1 to route around centralize­d locations, and think about perhaps rescheduli­ng their trip.

“Please follow your trusted news sources (on social media) as informatio­n about parking and traffic control may change quickly,” the agencies are warning.

At this point, police are planning to shut down an area from the parking deck on West First Street to the Forum, between Tribune Street and the walking trail.

 ?? Screencap ?? “Is it windy enough tonight?” President Trump asks the crowd gathered for a rally Nov. 1, 2020, at Richard B. Russell Regional Airport in Rome just after 9 p.m. when the temperatur­e hovered around 56 degrees.
Screencap “Is it windy enough tonight?” President Trump asks the crowd gathered for a rally Nov. 1, 2020, at Richard B. Russell Regional Airport in Rome just after 9 p.m. when the temperatur­e hovered around 56 degrees.

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