Republican National Convention to bring permanent changes to Tampa
Improved Internet service, new cellphone towers and more palm trees downtown are some of the improvements made for the Republican National Convention.
The Republican National Convention will take place August 27-30 at the Tampa Bay Times Forum. Republican National Convention (RNC) organizers listed for the Associated Press, some of the larger, permanent projects and perks they will leave behind for Tampa Bay area residents who will have to endure traffic tie-ups, protesters and other inconveniences, long after that the RNC have left:
— Improvements at the Tampa Bay Times Forum: About $520,000 was spent on upgrading the arena’s sound, including the placement of 100,000 square feet of acoustic blankets along the ceiling so delegates inside the convention hall can hear the speeches better.
— Phone and data upgrades: AT&T is the official wireless provider for the convention and has spent about $21 million in various upgrades for the RNC alone. The company is erecting three new cell towers to avoid dropped calls. Bright House Networks will provide Internet and cable television services and a spokesman says the company has added over 190 miles of single strands of fiber to downtown Tampa to enhance internet capacity.
— Beautification: The city of Tampa is spending $2.7 million in beautification projects, mostly landscaping around the gateways leading into downtown. New trees, shrubs and flowers are sprouting up everywhere, including Florida’s signature tropical symbol, the palm tree.
— Equipment for law enforcement: Tampa Police received $50 million from Congress to provide security for the RNC.
Geoff Ceasar
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