New RNC Host City Now Requiring Masks for Indoor Events

CHARLOTTE, NC – A major move to mandate masks in Jacksonville, Florida; the new home of the Republican National Convention. 

Jacksonville leaders recently contracted with the RNC to hold the August rallies and speeches.  

The majority of the event was moved out of Charlotte after the RNC leadership and NC Gov. Roy Cooper could not come to an agreement on capacity limits and mask requirements. 

Now, the sunshine state ramping up restrictions after being one of the first states to ease back into normal life. 

“It’s so important not only to protect ourselves, but other people,” said one Jacksonville woman. 

The mask mandate comes after the city mayor had previously called it not a good use of resources. 

The shift could potentially impact the RNC at the end of August. RNC leadership has said President Trump’s acceptance speech would be mask optional. 

“I think we’ll be fine by that time. It’s a couple months away. And we look forward to seeing that,” said Florida Gov. Ron Desantis. 

The RNC said in a statement that they’re “committed to a safe event” with proper precautions. And that they continue to work with Florida officials. 

“People are realizing that this is not going away anytime soon. There is a fine line between trying to restart our economy and slow the spread of this virus,” said Democratic Charlotte city councilman Larken Egelston.

He says he’d welcome more business functions coming back to charlotte. 

“Anything is on the table so long as there’s an agreement that it’s going to be done in a way that is safe from a public health perspective,” said Egelston.

“While I would love it to happen, I don’t see it happening,” said Repubican councilman Tariq Bokhari.

He says he believes the economic opportunity has passed. 

“You have to have somebody that is at least showing a little good faith. Not making reckless guarantees, but showing a little bit of good faith and I bet that is exactly what they’re getting down there in Jacksonville.” said Bokhari. 

About 360 delegates will be in Charlotte for the first day of the convention to carry out the official business. The majority of the speeches and main events will be in Florida.