Fairgrounds readied for Obama rally to impede area traffic

By Uriah A. Kiser

Published: November 2, 2008

There was much to be done Sunday before the Prince William Fairgrounds became witness to history.

Construction, staging and production crews were working into the night to welcome Sen. Barack Obama for his last presidential campaign rally in the 2008 election season.

Scattered across the ground was electronic audio equipment, a large stage, scaffolding and risers for people to stand on when the senator makes his address sometime after 9 p.m.

John Dover of Stafford said after his company helped in an event for West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller and a birthday party for Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy, Obama coming to the Manassas area was “not a big deal.”

His rental business, L&A Tents, is supplying four of the pavilions to be used during the rally.

He said that being one of the few tent dealers in the area keeps him busy.

“Everyone in your neighborhood has a car and there are 300 Yellow Pages listings for companies. Everyone in your neighborhood has a computer and there are 500 pages of computer listings. I’ll bet you can’t tell me how many people in your neighborhood rented a tent last year,” Dover said.

The set-up began after 2 p.m. Sunday by union workers from the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees based in Washington, D.C.

The Manassas area rally, too, is just another job for them, crew members said.

The crew has until 3 p.m. to have everything in place before the Secret Service begins security sweeps, campaign spokesman Brent Colburn said.

Once gates open at 5 p.m., the constructed stage will greet rally-goers near the entrance to the fairgrounds.

On a hill in front of the stage — an area normally reserved as a gravel parking lot for other events — the campaign expects nearly 40,000 to stand to hear Obama and former Gov. Mark Warner.

“When it comes to the success of this rally I think we are building on tradition from rallies we have held across the county,” Colburn said.

Campaign workers at the fairgrounds contend much of the finer logistical details — the exact place everything will be staged and where people will stand — are still being worked out less than 24-hours before the event. They said that isn’t unusual.

People coming to hear the senator speak will have to park across from the fairgrounds at the Old Dominion Speedway, Coburn said.

That prompted county officials to warn residents of potential early evening traffic tie ups along Va. 234, where the fairgrounds is located.

The road is only two lanes and is expected to be overwhelmed with cars.

Coburn said the campaign had no immediate plans to shuttle rally-goers from the racetrack to the fairgrounds. OmniLink, the local bus service in Manassas and Prince William County, did not announce any changes in regular service for today.

The event is free and open to the public.

Staff writer Uriah A. Kiser can be reached at 703-878-8065.