As if having the Cardinals in the Super Bowl and the NBA All-Stars in Arizona wasn’t enough. Now the already legendary President Barack Obama is set to appear in Mesa, Arizona tomorrow to deliver a speech regarding the government’s plan for a large bailout.
Hundreds camped outside of Mesa’s Dobson High School, the venue for the presidential speech, Sunday night all bundled up in blankets and hats as tickets went on sale Monday morning at 10 a.m.
At least 300 people received tickets while others were turned away in tears. The free tickets were given out at a first-come, first-serve basis and each person was allowed only one ticket.
Obama’s speech is expected to address the new $50 billion bailout package to help those struggling to pay their home mortgages in a state hit hardest. Last month, about 310 families foreclosed their homes in Mesa alone and according to an analyst at Arizona State University, the median home value fell 35 percent in the last year.
The president is expected to land in the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Tuesday at 5:15 p.m. The lucky ones with tickets will be able to enter the Dobson High School at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, while Obama will deliver his speech at 10:15 a.m. He will then leave Phoenix around 12:45 p.m.
It is rumored that Obama will stay at the new $325 million Intercontinental Montelucia Resort & Spa in Paradise Valley. This is surprising since almost all presidents have stayed at Phoenix’s signature resort – The Arizona Biltmore (since it opened). The Intercontinental Montelucia opened last November and the presidential suite currently costs about $3,000 to $4,000 a night.
Dobson High was chosen after a team of political officials inspected the campus Friday. The high school gym can house up to 2,080 people.
Barck Obama is expected to sign a $787 billion stimulus bill in Denver today in hopes to improve the current conditions of the US economy. “It includes provisions to aid jobless workers, struggling consumers and worried business executives, using an array of tax deductions, credits and incentives,” according to the Arizona Republic. With the markets continually dropping and the unemployment rate at the highest it’s been in 16 years (7.6 percent), America is praying this package stems the start of our economy’s restoration.
Dobson High School
1501 W. Guadalupe Road
Mesa, AZ
I saw this on the news–people were camping out forever to get tickets to the event
i think its great that he is coming to the foreclosure capitol of the world to talk housing crisis. but if he lets all these people off who arent paying their mortgagae, maybe i will stop paying mine too. i dont like how the people who are screwing up are getting saved, but those us us who are workig really hard to make our payments dont seem to be getting any of this stimulus.
So not only is Obama promoting change in his policies, but also in the presidents’ typical hotel choice! I hope he likes Montelucia! I know I do.
will this be locally televised?
With everything that has happened, I am really hoping for a dramatic (and yes drastic change), but I see this taking a VERY long time. Let’s see what happens.
I saw this on the Sunday nightly news! It is so crazy to think he is going to a highschool that I have passed before.
While I don’t completely side with democrats or republicans, I did have the honor of seeing President Obama speak at ASU. He’s amazingly articulate, well-dressed and charismatic. What does this mean? Nothing besides he knows how to give a great speech. While I’m skeptical, I’m curious to see if this plan works out.
Well the Biltmore shouldn’t worry. He’ll stay there soon enough. They said on the news that the Montelucia is in foreclosure anyway.
And by the way has anyone READ his housing plan and done the math? Um yeah. It’s hardly going to help those that really need it. I’m still waiting on that change, Obama…