Locals wait for Pepsi Center entry

They came with cameras, canes, t-shirts, oxygen masks and even a box of doughnuts to share. Some even missed a day of school.

Several hundred people lined up outside of the Pepsi Center this morning to get one of the first glimpses of the convention floor and the enhancement made to host the Democratic National Convention, which begins Monday.

Members of the public were let in at around 11:30, although they needed a free pass obtained by registering online. Local residents said they just wanted to see and experience just a small part of the excitement surrounding the DNC.

“I think it’s fun,” said Veryl McBride, a Denver resident, who along with her husband and son walked only a few blocks from their downtown apartment to “see what they’ve done” with the enhancements to the Pepsi Center.

The McBride’s son, Greg wasn’t as excited about the DNC as his parents.

“It’s a lot for to put the city through for a big party,” said Greg, also founder, president and CEO of The Envision Group, an advertising agency on Market Street. “It’s a big expense that I think in some way will trickle down to the taxpayers.”

Paying taxes was most likely the last thing on the David Knowling’s mind as he stood on line in anticipation.

“The line is going fast. We’ve only been here less than 10 minutes,” he said as he approached the Pepsi Center entrance. “This is history.”

He should know, as he’s the buyer and manager for the gift shop at the Colorado History Museum.

Others – like the Hartwells from Jacksonville Florida – came to the arena without an entrance pass just to see all the activity surrounding last minute preparations.

“We didn’t think we’d be able to go inside,” said Vathrice Hartwell. “I said, ‘let’s just go down and take photos in front of the DNC signs.’ This is really nice.”

There were a lot of young people online for the general tour of the Pepsi Center, although a number of students from Denver Public Schools were allowed in at 8:30 this morning for a look.

But Mark Reese’s mother, Lena didn’t seem to mind letting her 13-year old son take a day off from school to see the convention floor.

“He’s been interested in politics since the (John Kerry) campaign,” she said. “I think it’s wonderful to teach them at this age how to look at information and assess who would be a good candidate.”

Mark Reese says that while he’s interested in politics because “you need (politics) to run the country,” he won’t be running for office in the future.

“I think I’m too nice,” he said. “I’d be at the debate and then ask (my opponent) if he was going to come over for dinner afterwards.”

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