Hotel rooms remain unbooked ahead of January 21 inauguration ceremony Organizers expecting much lower turnout than 2009 ceremony, when nearly 2 million people flocked to the National Mall
Crowds may have flocked to the National Mall to see President Obama make history in 2009, but the team behind the president's 2013 inauguration bash later this month are bracing themselves for a ton of empty seats. The ceremony that Washington will stage in a few weeks won't be the historic affair it was in 2009, when nearly 2 million people flocked to the Capitol to watch Obama take the oath of office. This time, District of Columbia officials expect between 600,000 and 800,000 people for Obama's public swearing-in on the steps of the Capitol on Monday, January 21.
Two weeks before the big day, plenty of hotel rooms still haven't been booked. Four years ago, some hotels sold out months in advance. There will be just two official inaugural balls this year, both at the Washington Convention Center, rather than 10 official balls at multiple locations around town.
The pair of celebrations are the lowest number since 1953, according to the New York Post.
A political insider told the paper: 'Some on the presidential inaugural committee are starting to seriously worry.' His inaugural committee has also scaled the celebration back to three days of festivities, instead of four.
Some changes are on account of the slowly recovering economy and a desire by planners to ease the security burden on law enforcement.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
