Denver Metro Residents Prepare for DNC Chaos

Denver -- In the weeks leading up to the Democratic National Convention in Denver, I spoke with a wide variety of people in the Denver area. I asked what they were expecting, how they were preparing, and how their lives would likely be different during the week of the DNC. I didn't ask for specifics about their names or workplaces, and in return I heard more details than I ordinarily would.

It was mostly those already involved in creating change who were fully enthusiastic about the DNC. They were excited about what the DNC represented, but even more so about its effect as a catalyst in Denver, helping organizations to gain visibility. They were also looking forward to the week-long environment of cooperation and enthusiasm. That kind of energy can take organizations and individuals a long way in the days after.

City commuters were somewhat sanguine about the whole thing, but as has been pointed out Denver is not the kind of city where events like this happen all the time, as they do in New York, Boston or Chicago. The DNC has, in effect, consumed the city even during the preparations. Many of the people I spoke to are still planning to go to work downtown, but some are opting for telecommuting where possible if things get too rough. One businessman said that his building could be "locked down," and they were warned to be prepared with supplies and changes of clothing just in case. But he, like most others, didn't really expect anything dramatic to emerge. "Just like Y2K," he said.

Those less affluent who live in the city are getting ready for lean times. Many of them are avoiding the large numbers of police, especially since their usual dealings are with Denver Police who often know them, at least in passing. Panhandling and other techniques for asking for money will be more risky, and the large numbers of out-of-town guests won't be the known quantity that Denver residents tend to be. Survival skills won't be as useful, so disappearing for a while is a likely option. Outlying cities on the RTD transit network are likely to see some new faces for a while.

Those who skirt around the city or pass through were mostly concerned about the degree of diversions of traffic, especially on the RTD transit system. The I-25 closure on Thursday has raised a lot of questions, and various "what if" questions have been on people's minds, depending on protest activity especially. The situation has been compared, however, to a Broncos game, which when it takes place at Invesco Field tends to have a major effect on transit and commuting in the area also.

Concern about the police presence has also been an issue to average citizens. Denver's city administration has not been very forthcoming, according to many, with information about DNC plans, and some have been raising apocalyptic visions. When a CBS4 reporter revealed pictures of a secret warehouse project designed to hold cells for detainees, everyone's worst assumptions began to seem valid. The city, according to the Denver Daily News, decided to scale back and omit the razor wire when the term "Gitmo on the Platte" was used for the facility, although the "freedom cage" near (arguably) the DNC location at the Pepsi Center has also been the object of disbelief. This isn't the Mayor Hickenlooper and friends most of us are used to.

In fairly affluent south Denver, where I live, we don't expect to be affected directly by the DNC. Since most of us travel closer to and into the downtown area, though, most of us including myself will either be avoiding the most problematic areas, or preparing for just about anything to happen. Based on what I've seen Sunday, I think that's a fair expectation.