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Sources: President will stay at Holiday Inn off Constitution
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BATON ROUGE- The Secret Service and local law enforcement spent Wednesday getting a local hotel ready for President Obama's arrival.
Multiple sources confirmed to WBRZ, the President will stay at the Holiday Inn off Constitution Avenue. The massive effort to secure the spot where President Obama will sleep began weeks ago when the Secret Service arrived and conducted sweeps of the hotel.
Wednesday, crime tape was seen surrounding the entire hotel. Multiple SRT Officers were huddled around patrol cars Wednesday.
Todd Sterling watched the large law enforcement presence and was shocked at the spectacle it created.
"I looked out of the window and saw all the cops with M-16 machine guns," Sterling said. "I wonder if it was a bomb threat."
But, the scene unfolding outside the hotel was one of precaution.
Workers at the hotel told WBRZ, the hotel was sold out even though there were no cars in the parking lot. Sources with the Secret Service tell WBRZ, agents have been staying there for a week. The reason why the President isn't staying at a swanky high-end hotel is because they were booked up for Governor John Bel Edwards' inauguration Monday. We've learned it's customary for secret service agents to stay at a location well in advance of the President's arrival.
"It's interesting that's where he'd stay in Baton Rouge," Sterling said.
Regardless of where the President sleeps, people like Sterling are just happy he's coming in town.
"I know he's going to have some good food from Louie's and Chicken Shack, so he'll have good hospitality in Baton Rouge and meet some great people in Louisiana," Sterling said.
They're ready to welcome him with some of that southern charm, as agents get ready for him to stay at the Holiday Inn.
"It's exciting for Louisiana," Sterling said. "It's exciting for Baton Rouge and hopefully it will bring some great attention to our city."
You can expect temporary road closures Thursday as the President gets on the road to McKinley High School. That could affect your morning commute, so you may want to leave a little early.
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