The Republican National Convention's welcome event for delegates and media went off as planned Sunday night at Tropicana Field, despite the fact that convention organizers had already announced plans to delay the start of the convention by one day due to tropical storm (now hurricane) Isaac.
Most likely due to the weather, the 20,000-strong crowd was smaller than the expected for the August 26 party, which was intended to showcase the Tampa Bay region to visiting delegates, media, and V.I.P.s. Event producer Corporate Magic used lighting, signage, and red-, white-, and blue-colored tension structures to create three distinct areas on the field, intended to symbolize the cities of Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and Tampa. Here’s a look at some of the food, decor, and entertainment from the event.
