Republican National Convention stage design at Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum unveiled
With the Republican National Convention just 40 days away, officials on Wednesday unveiled the design of the stage where former President Donald Trump is expected to formally accept the party's nomination to seek another term in the White House.
Anne Hathaway, the RNC's committee on arrangements chairwoman, and Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley released renderings of the stage in Fiserv Forum, where efforts have begun to prepare the arena for the political spotlight.
"Our mission has always been to showcase all the things that are Milwaukee and all the things that are Wisconsin while simultaneously uniting our party and creating a launch pad for Donald J. Trump to be nominated to be the president of the United States," Hathaway said.
She said the stage would combine "aesthetic considerations with cutting-edge technology."
Hathaway also announced that the stage would include 1,200 high-density LED panels to provide "versatility" for the convention for different days. Hathaway also said the stage will be 26 feet tall and 60 feet wide and will be partially suspended from the ceiling and partially mounted on the arena floor.
The arena layout, Hathaway said, will give everyone a "great view" of the convention. About 2,500 voting delegates are expected to attend the convention to cast their votes.
The RNC is expected to bring more than 50,000 visitors to Milwaukee.
“What we want to accomplish here is twofold,” Whatley said. “First off, we’re going to have a world-class stage performance for those folks that are going to be in the arena. And we also are going to have a world-class television production that is going to be able to take what happens on stage and communicate that out not just across the country but to the entire world.
While the convention will serve as Trump's official designation as the Republican Party's nominee, it will also be a forum for the Republican Party to unite, Whatley said.
Whatley said he does not expect Trump's July 11 sentencing in his New York hush money case to prevent the former president from being in Milwaukee to accept the party's nomination.
Construction and setup have begun at the arena in preparation for the RNC.
"Over the next 40 days, we have a lot of work ahead of us, but we have the manpower to get it done," Hathaway said.
Tristan Hernandez can be reached at thernandez@gannett.com. Alison Dirr can be reached at adirr@jrn.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Republican National Convention stage design at Fiserv Forum unveiled
