Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Monday in an inauguration ceremony that has been cut short due to severe cold weather forecast in the nation’s capital.
What events are expected?
Trump will take the oath of office and deliver his inaugural address inside the US Capitol, not outside the building as initially planned.
The traditional inaugural parade, which was supposed to include marching bands and other groups marching down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House, has been moved to 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 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 such as 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 & Entertainment, which owns the Wizards and Capitals. The District of Columbia bought the arena last year for $88 million after Lyons planned to move the teams across the Potomac River to an arena in Virginia that has not yet been built.
When the relocation plan fell through, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the district took steps to keep the teams playing in DC. The district is leasing the arena back to MSE and both are contributing to a three-year, $800 million redevelopment project to modernize the arena.
Lyonsys also has a stake in Axiomatic, which has a controlling interest in Team Liquid, a global eSports powerhouse with professional teams in 14 sports. He has donated to both Democrats and Republicans in the past.
How is the seating arrangement in the arena?
The grounds have the capacity to hold about 20,000 people – a small fraction of the approximately 220,000 ticketed guests who were supposed to watch from the U.S. Capitol grounds.
What will Trump’s parade look like?
It is unclear how the parade will be staged inside the venue, but Trump has said supporters will be able to watch his swearing-in ceremony on screens inside the arena.
On Monday morning, a desk was moved to the center of the field, which could be a location for Trump to sign executive orders.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
