Saturday, August 16, 2008

Letter from Maria....

[Update from Maria Cino, President and CEO of the Republican National Convention.]

Hello from headquarters, where we have entered the implementation phase of the 2008 Republican National Convention. Come September 1, we will launch four days of events that will culminate in Senator John McCain’s nomination to be the next President of the United States.

On July 21, we received the keys to the Xcel Energy Center and immediately got to work, preparing the space to welcome the 45,000 delegates, alternate delegates, volunteers, members of the media, and other guests that will attend the convention. To date, workers have removed 3,000 seats, built workspaces for media and staff, and begun installing more than 25 miles of analog, digital, fiber, and phone cable.

After more than a year of planning and preparation, it is exciting to see the Xcel Energy Center begin to take shape - and we want you to join in the excitement! You can now follow our progress by visiting www.gopconvention2008.com, where each Tuesday we will be posting a new behind-the-scenes, time-lapse video of our progress.

The work being done on the ground at the Xcel Energy Center is just one of the many new developments here at headquarters. An event of this size literally involves thousands of details, and our hard work in addressing each and every one has not gone unnoticed. In July, National Journal declared that we are "well organized, with every detail seemingly in place," and "proudly and efficiently on schedule."

One detail we are extremely proud of is our greening initiative. Just last week, FOX News covered our eco-conscious efforts, which include the use of General Motors hybrid vehicles and plans to power the Xcel Energy Center with wind and solar energy. Thanks to these efforts, we are on track to deliver the most environmentally-friendly convention in GOP history.

Our environmental initiative is just one of the many reasons that the 2008 Republican National Convention promises to be a ground-breaking and historic event. Recently, the Associated Press profiled our party’s deep roots in Minneapolis-Saint Paul, which include the 1892 Republican National Convention that nominated Benjamin Harrison for President. We are now poised to write an exciting new chapter in our Party’s proud history. The 2008 convention will mark the beginning of that chapter, and we are confident it will be remembered as an important milestone in Senator John McCain’s campaign for the White House.

We are looking forward to welcoming you to Minneapolis-Saint Paul, gaveling the convention to order, and sharing Senator McCain’s strong record of putting country first and his vision for our future with millions of Americans. See you in 17 days!

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