(Reuters) – Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Monday at an inauguration ceremony that has been scaled back due to a forecast of severe cold weather in the nation’s capital.
WHAT EVENTS ARE EXPECTED?
Trump will take the oath of office and deliver his inaugural address inside the U.S. Capitol, instead of outdoors in front of the building, as initially planned.
The traditional inaugural parade, which was set to include marching bands and other groups proceeding down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House, has been moved to the Capital One Arena, a professional basketball and hockey venue in downtown Washington.
Trump also held a campaign-style “Make America Great Again Victory Rally” at the arena on Sunday, putting the sometimes-maligned stadium at the center of events for two nights.
WHAT IS THE CAPITAL ONE ARENA?
The arena is home to the Washington Wizards NBA basketball team and the National Hockey League’s Washington Capitals team. Built in 1997, it is located near the city’s small Chinatown area, roughly equidistant from the Capitol building and the White House.
The stadium also hosts concerts and events like the Monster Jam monster truck rally.
WHO OWNS CAPITAL ONE ARENA?
The arena was owned for 14 years by sports mogul Ted Leonsis, founder and CEO of Monumental Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Wizards and Capitals. The District of Columbia bought the arena for $88 million last year, after Leonsis planned to relocate the teams across the Potomac River to an arena in Virginia that is yet to be built.
When the relocation plan fell apart, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the district stepped in to keep the teams playing in D.C. The district is leasing the arena back to MSE and both are contributing towards a three-year, $800 million redevelopment project to modernize the arena.
Leonsis also owns a stake in aXiomatic, which has a controlling interest in Team Liquid, a global esports powerhouse with professional teams in 14 games.He has donated in the past to both Democrats and Republicans.
WHAT IS THE SEATING IN ARENA LIKE?
The arena has the capacity to hold around 20,000 people – a small fraction of the approximately 220,000 ticketed guests who had been due to watch from the U.S. Capitol grounds.
WHAT WILL THE TRUMP PARADE LOOK LIKE?
It is unclear how the parade will be organized inside the sports venue, but Trump has said supporters will be able to view his swearing-in ceremony on screens inside the arena.
Monday morning, a desk was sent up in the center of the arena, which could be a spot for Trump to sign executive orders.
(Reporting by Ryan Patrick Jones; Editing by Heather Timmons and Deepa Babington)
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