Excerpt of Map from the City of Saint Paul Showing the
Public Viewing Area and “Open Forum” Stage
PRESS RELEASE from City of St. Paul
July 31, 2008
Contact: Tom Walsh
Brad
Meyer
Saint
Paul Releases Information about Public Viewing Area and “Open Forum”
Stage During the RNC
City will create
area across from the Xcel Energy Center where people can reserve time
to speak
Applications
accepted until August 11
SAINT PAUL – The City of Saint Paul today released additional
information about the open forum area that will be set up during the
Republican National Convention. The area is less than a block from the
Xcel Energy Center and will include a stage to allow groups and
individuals the opportunity to express their opinion within an earshot
of the RNC. The stage will be set up September 1 – 4, from 8 a.m. to 8
p.m. each day, and reservations will be accepted until August 11.
The public viewing area will be open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day
and is part of an ongoing commitment by Saint Paul to make it possible
and safe for anyone to be able to view and experience the convention.
People can also come to downtown and see live media broadcasts, live
music, and other activities associated with the convention from this
location.
“From the day we were selected to host the convention we have made an
unprecedented effort to balance the needs of people attending the
events while also protecting the rights of everyone to be able to speak
freely,” said Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman. “This plan creates an
organized way to give people who want to share their thoughts the
chance to be close to the Xcel Energy Center during the convention. The
public forum area also fits into the overall public safety plan for the
RNC.”
Each person or organization will get 50 minutes to speak from the
stage. Interested groups and individuals must fill out a permit
application to be considered for one of the timeslots. Similar to the
parks permits process at the beginning of the year, a lottery will
determine the schedule. All applications are due August 11 by 3 p.m.,
and the lottery will be held on August 12. The initial schedule will be
announced on the City’s Web site on August 18.
The City of Saint Paul will provide a stage and sound system with
microphone for the open forum. People who plan to speak on the stage
will not be allowed to bring any additional equipment with them. Only
one permit application per group or individual will be allowed for the
lottery, and any excess application submissions will be returned to the
applicant.
Applicants may apply for additional time slots, if available, beginning
August 19, 2008, by submission of a completed application. They will be
issued stage time based on a first-come, first-served basis. Updates to
the schedule will be posted on the City’s Web site.
Permit applications
are available on the City’s website, and may be submitted via mail, fax
(651-632-5115), or in person to the Saint Paul Parks Permit Office
(1100 Hamline Avenue North, Saint Paul, MN 55108).