What to know about Rock Hill traffic, parking for Donald Trump’s Winthrop visit Friday
Former president Donald Trump’s visit to Rock Hill Friday will cause a road closure and heavy traffic near the Winthrop Coliseum for most of the day, officials said.
Winthrop Coliseum is located along Eden Terrace, just a block from busy Cherry Road. The area is south of Interstate 77 Exit 82. Trump speaks at 4 p.m. Doors open at 1 p.m.
The Trump campaign rally comes a day before South Carolina’s Republican presidential primary on Saturday. Trump is far ahead in polls, including a poll from Winthrop University that had Trump leading former U.N ambassador and S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley 65% to 29% among likely Republican primary voters.
The ballot also includes pastor and businessman Ryan Binkley and businessman David Stuckenburg.
Traffic
The part of Eden Terrace in front of the coliseum will be closed starting at 9 a.m. Friday, according to the York County Sheriff’s Office and Rock Hill Police Department. Patton Street and MacArthur Street will be blocked for entry onto Eden Terrace.
Cherry Road will not have any restrictions, but traffic volume on that main north-south route to and from I-77 is expected to be heavy because of the campaign rally, said Rock Hill police Lt. Michael Chavis.
Parking, entry and safety
People attending the event will have to enter the coliseum grounds from Eden Terrace southbound to the east coliseum entrance, the sheriff’s office and police department said in social media releases.
Sheriff’s office spokesman Trent Faris said attendees should expect a high volume of cars on Eden Terrace southbound into the parking areas.
Parking lots open at 9 a.m., said Charles Yearta, Winthrop police chief. No early entry will be allowed, Yearta said.
People will enter the building through the general admission coliseum entrance on the same east side of the building, officials said.
Deputies, Rock Hill police, the S.C. Highway Patrol and Winthrop police are all going to be working in and around the venue.
Yearta said metal detectors will be used at doors.
Under South Carolina state law, no weapons of any kind are allowed on Winthrop property, Yearta said.
Tickets
Tickets are free and are only available through the Trump campaign website. The event, billed as a “Get Out the Vote Rally,” is open to the public. The Trump campaign website states that people can register for up to two tickets per cellphone number.
The 2016 visit by Trump to the coliseum before that year’s primary had an attendance of over 6,000.
For information about voting Saturday, visit SCvotes.org or the York County Voter Registration and Elections website.
