N. Charleston Coliseum issues parking alert ahead of Trump visit Friday

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - President Donald Trump’s planned visit to the Charleston area Friday night prompted a parking alert from North Charleston Coliseum officials.

Trump will appear at the coliseum Friday night at 7 p.m.

Coliseum spokesman Alan Coker said all available parking is expected to be filled by Friday morning ahead of the president's appearance.

Attendees will need to use ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft, Coker said.

The parking lots will open Thursday at 7 a.m. Doors will open for the rally at 3 p.m. Friday, with the rally set to begin at 7 p.m.

Coker says the coliseum is expected to be at capacity.

The Director of Strategic Communications for President Trump’s and Vice President Mike Pence’s campaign, Marc Lotter, is in town.

“It’s always an amazing time when the president comes," Lotter said. "It also shows the President’s commitment to South Carolina. He wants to make sure that the voters here know, how much he appreciates them and how much he needs them come November 3rd.”

Meanwhile, those planning to attend Friday night's performance of "The Color Purple" in the neighboring North Charleston Performing Arts Center must park at the Verizon parking lot at 2401 Mall Drive next to North Charleston City Hall, Coker said.

Tickets for the rally are available at Trump’s website with a limit to two per person.

Seating is first-come, first-serve.

Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews last week he planned to come to South Carolina just before the state’s Democratic Presidential Primary, which is scheduled for Saturday.

"We have a big voice and we might as well use it,” he said.

Trump said holding a rally just ahead of a state's Democratic primary or caucus is a strategy that has proven effective.

“We got more votes than any incumbent president in history in Iowa and in New Hampshire, as you saw, and in that case I went just before the day before and I went the day before in both cases,” he said.

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