Monday, September 3, 2012

Michelle Obama "Moves In" to The Lodge at Ballantyne

Cedar Posts learned first hand that The Lodge at Ballantyne will be "First" Lady Michelle Obama's home away from home as she lays the ground work for Barrack Obama's arrival on Wednesday.

9 North Carolina DOT dump trucks serve as a formidable barrier protecting The Lodge
West bound traffic on Ballantyne Commons Parkway has been shut down. While east bound traffic is being allowed. This will change on Wednesday when President Obama is in residence at The Lodge at Ballantyne with the complete shut down of Ballantyne Commons Parkway.

Besides the Secret Service presence that are more than 50 CMPD and Greensboro Officers blocking traffic and guarding the adjacent parking deck at the Harris Building.

One Greensboro Officer told CP that the area is now under the control of the Secret Service.
When asked if he had any idea who he was protecting he said, "They haven't told us anything" adding that they have no idea who they are protecting but he didn't think is was the President at this time.

CP's Take: They darn sure aren't guarding Justin Bieber. As a side note the Greensboro Officer did say that CMPD and the citizens of Charlotte have treated him very well, and that he was thrilled to be a part of this event. Odd seeing a Greensboro uniform in a CMPD Cruiser.

CP Update: The Charlotte Observer is still unable to confirm that the First Lady is in residence at The Lodge or that the President will overnight at the property on Wednesday. In fact the Observer continues to call it the Ballantyne Hotel and Resort which is somewhat incorrect. The official name is "The Lodge at Ballantyne".

No sign of HMX-1 staff or any "White Tops" being off loaded at CDIA according to sources that should know.

CP is left to assume that Marine One will not be in use. Therefore expect massive traffic tie-ups in Charlotte along 485 and 77 on Wednesday and Thursday as well as Friday.

CP Bonus Take: The level of security is epic. Which leads one to think there is some sort of threat beyond the normal nut cases and hate groups. In the past closing off a street would be plenty of protection and so the dump trucks are a pretty big surprise.



6 comments:

Anonymous said...

With all the bull sh#t Obama's going to spill around Charlotte they are going to need more than 9 dump trucks to clean it up.

Just sayin.

Jeff A. Taylor said...

If you see Atlanta's finest out and about -- which you won't unless you haunt hotel lobbies -- ask them if they plan to repeat their stunt of rolling a 10-van caravan down 85 on the way home. That lights rolling flying wedge was an absolute moving hazard on the way up. But APD does love a good party, shiny things.

Anonymous said...

Cedar you always come up with cool stuff. We have Main Stream Media saying FLOTUS is at the Ballantyne Resort which is close but not correct.

Then first with the DOT dump trucks one station even discounting it saying is was for road repair in advance of Obama's visit.

How dumb can they be?

Anonymous said...

To Jeff Taylor,
I too saw the caravan heading up I-85 and was wondering what the hurry was.

Anonymous said...

What could be the draw to stay at a place that is more like a western ranch or ski resort in Colorado than a Southern Hotel?

What an insane burden on the Republican base that live and work in Ballantyne.

But I guess that was the point.

Jeff A. Taylor said...

More so than the hurry, the APD party train (again with blue lights rolling on the caboose) had every illegal alien drywall hanger/painter in the SE afraid to pass them.

Created an awful snafu for no good reason.