Note: The video in the player above is from a previous report on the upcoming Democratic National Convention.
Monday marked a significant step in efforts to transform the United Center into the convention hall for August’s Democratic National Convention.
The DNC moved into the arena and promptly began setting up for the convention, which will take place from Monday, Aug. 19, to Thursday, Aug. 22.
The convention will welcome over 5,000 delegates representing all 57 U.S. states and territories, around 12,000 volunteers and roughly 50,000 visitors, a spokesperson for the DNC previously told NBC Chicago.
The United Center will host official proceedings, primetime programming and speeches, while the McCormick Place will host the official daytime party business, meetings and briefings, a spokesperson said.
Outside of the convention itself, there will be many local businesses that will host DNC-affiliated events. In recent weeks, Chicago police and one of the area’s largest hospitals held training sessions to ensure medical staff and first responders are prepared for a potential mass casualty event.
At McCormick Place in early June, hundreds of officers donned helmets, face shields and riot vests for a hands-on field training session to demonstrate techniques they’ve learned to keep convention-goers safe and prepare for potential mass protests. As part of the training, they also learned how to handle multiple arrest situations, like those possible during a high-profile event like the DNC.