Democratic National Convention staff, volunteers start moving into United Center

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Heavy-duty preps were happening inside the bowl at the United Center on Monday.

Construction workers are transforming the sports and concert venue into the Democratic National Convention Hall, and Monday marked move-in day for staff and volunteers.

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"Sharing excitement about what's to come," said convention chair Minyon Moore.

Beginning Aug. 19, Chicago will host more than 50,000 visitors, including 5,000 delegates, 12,000 volunteers and 15,000 members of the media.

"We promote what's positive about the city from a cultural lens. You know, this isn't the first rodeo for us with the DNC. This organization, the DNC and the city and the federal organizations are truly on top of this," said Choose Chicago Chair Glenn Eden.

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Show Strategy is one of the event management companies hired by the DNC. CEO Glenn Charles Jr. grew up in Englewood and says this project is five times larger than any anything else they have done.

"We probably doubled the size of my company. We tripled the size of our warehouse. The typical manpower that we would use for the typical shows we do a Navy Pier and McCormick Place, we've quadrupled that. So, as exciting it is for us to be the first Black prime contractor to doing the DNC, now we have to execute us the first Black prime contractor to be doing this work at DNC," Charles said.

"I think everybody is united to make sure we do the best for the city and also the best for the convention," said Juan & Only CEO Juan Teague.

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