The Presidential Inaugural Committee announced today that President-elect Barack Obama will host the first-ever “Neighborhood Inaugural Ball” at the Washington Convention Center on January 20 with a portion of tickets set aside for District of Columbia residents. The ball will feature interactive components such as webcasting and text messaging to link neighborhoods across the country with the new president.
“This is an Inauguration for all Americans,“ Obama said in a press release. “I wanted to make sure that we had an event that would be open to our new neighborhood here in Washington, D.C., and also neighborhoods across the country. Michelle and I look forward to joining our fellow Americans across the country during this very special event.” The Presidential Inaugural Committee will release additional details regarding ticket distribution and interactive features soon as well as announce the names and locations of the official balls.
In other inauguration news, the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center today notified its 2,300 staffers (accountants and administrative assistants alike) that they are required to pitch in for 36 hours on January 19 and 20 to meet and greet, check coats, and serve the more than 26,000 guests attending two of Washington's largest inauguration balls. “From a planning perspective, this is going to be big for us to pull off in our first year,” said Amie Gorrell, spokeswoman for the Gaylord, which opened in April 2008.
Gaylord’s biggest challenges, according to Gorrell, will be security and feeding the masses. “Where do you store the food? We may have to work with the Secret Service on accepting deliveries. After the building has been swept event day, no more deliveries are allowed,” said Gorrell, adding that she has it “on good authority” that President Bush will attend the Texas State Society’s Black Tie and Boots Ball on January 19, with 12,000 tickets sold. Obama, according to Gorrell, is expected at the Africa and International Ball on January 20, which 14,000 guests are slated to attend.
In addition to the new president, the Africa Ball, sponsored by Fallen Soldiers Inc. (a nonprofit dedicated to people living in poverty in Africa) is expected to attract foreign leaders from around the world and feature celebrities such as Usher, Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, and the O’Jays. Spanning three spaces, the event will take over the 50,000-square-foot Potomac Ballroom, where the $1,000-a-ticket plated dinner ball for 2,500 people will feature the headliners; the 35,000-square-foot Maryland Ballroom ($500 a ticket, for 1,500 people) will have a buffet and 20 entertainment acts; and the 180,000-square-foot exhibition space will host a $250-per-person party for 10,000 with heavy hors d’oeuvres. All three venues will be linked by JumboTrons.
