Last week I wrote about how Philadelphia has stumbled in their plans to host the Pope in September. You can read about the story here. While the comedy isn't over, it's a great opportunity to talk about some of the nuances of hosting a large scale city-wide event for a VIP.
Scope
You should always take some time to talk about the size of an event. Planning a meeting for just 2 people versus a city-wide event for thousands requires very different things. In this case, the Pope's visit is going to require more than one city agency working together.
VIP
The type of VIP is going to dictate the details about the type of security you might need. The President of the United States requires different security than a celebrity, legislator, governor, or local judge. At the School of Government we don't typically request any additional security. for our clients. However, at other conference locations sometimes the judges arrange local law enforcement to be present at their event.
Location
Where is the event going to be held? This information leads to many other questions about street closures, security, and communication strategy, among others. The Pope will be giving a mass to the entire city outdoors in Philadelphia, which requires something very different than utilizing an arena or stadium.
Security
This item will be crucial to your event. There are a number of items that should be considered. Where should barricades be setup? How will local police work with the security team of the VIP? What are the risks that you need to think about based on the location you've selected? (This should be a consideration when selecting a venue too.) What roads should be closed? Will there be security checkpoints to enter the event? Will there be pat-downs, x-ray scanners, or bag checks?
Transportation
How will people get to and from your event? Do you need to provide additional services to enhance transportation? I went to a conference in Orlando and we needed car transportation to and from the airport and around town since public transportation is not easily accessible. In New York City you can easily get where you need to go. If you're trying to accommodate additional people will you need to run additional trains for a special event? In Philadelphia's case they decided to sell special passes for the trains that day. They are also closing all car traffic to the city from I-95 including the bridges.
Communication
Once you have a plan in place you want to communicate this to public. I think this is Philadelphia's biggest mishap. They have communicated a few different plans to accommodate the Pope. It has become a farce. Still, it will be important for residents and visitors alike to know how they can get in, out, and around the city that day. I asked a friend of mine who was actually in charge of planning the event and he didn't actually know.
It's not easy planning a city-wide event with VIPs, but it certainly does keep you thinking above and beyond in the world of events!
Have you ever planned a city-wide event? Or had a city-wide event affect the planning of your smaller event? I want to hear from you!