On Tuesday, January 23, 2024, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is set to host a high-profile event at the Hylton Performing Arts Center on George Mason University’s SciTech Campus outside Manassas, featuring President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and second gentleman Douglas Emhoff.
This event is not affiliated with the university and is strictly invitation-only, states a university spokeswoman. Security measures will be robust to ensure the safety of attendees and dignitaries. The anticipated high-profile nature of the gathering is expected to result in significant traffic and parking disruptions on and around the SciTech Campus.
Parking restrictions will be enforced starting Monday at 11 p.m., with limited access to various parking lots. The Hylton parking lot, Beacon resident and retail parking lots, Tower Hall parking lot, and Cannon parking lot will be off-limits to the public during this period.
Furthermore, starting at noon on Tuesday, parking in the Occoquan and Discovery lots will be exclusively reserved for event attendees. George Mason University students and employees are advised to utilize the King and Freedom Center parking lots after noon.
While Mason Shuttles will continue to operate on its regular schedule, there will be no pick-up or drop-off at the Hylton Performing Arts Center. Those who work or attend classes at SciTech are urged to factor in extra time for entering and exiting the campus, as intermittent closures of campus and adjacent roads to traffic are expected.
A university spokeswoman states that the university administration encourages all campus community members to plan accordingly, considering the potential disruptions caused by the event.
Airport restrictions in effect
A temporary flight restriction occurs from 2:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Manassas Regional Airport. This includes no aircraft activity, practice approaches, touch-and-gos, and drone activity, the airport posted to Facebook. Wakeman Drive will be closed south of the intersection of Harry J Parrish and Wakeman Drive. Follow traffic directions and plan for additional travel time, airport management states.
The airport is the largest municipal airport in Virignia.
