Donald Trump rally, take two.
Wildwood, New Jersey, is gearing up for its second visit in four years by now-former President Donald J. Trump.
Saturday's upcoming campaign rally is expected to add many more people to what was already expected to be a busy weekend for the Jersey Shore town.
It'll come with some significant differences compared to last time and could also be more costly for everyone, including folks not going to the rally.
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With everything from coozies, bags and clocks to bobbleheads, Brian McDowell opened a new Trump merchandise store in North Wildwood last month.
"I was on The Apprentice with Donald Trump," McDowell told NBC10. “Donald Trump coming to the Wildwoods the first time in 2020 was amazing. Then to come back again another four years later. It's like the gift that keeps giving for somebody that was fired from Donald Trump.”
The January 2020 rally for then-President Donald Trump was held in the dead of winter inside the Wildwoods Convention Center.
"Security's very tight. It's very tight," Wildwood Mayor Erinie Troiano Jr. explained.
Saturday's event will take place several blocks north on the beach at a location that can accommodate a much bigger crowd. Access to the site has already been restricted.
"Lotta fences going up and no place to sit," Lower Township resident Ellen Hotaling said.
The 5 p.m. ticketed rally for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee is expected to add tens of thousands of people to what was already set to be a busy Mother's Day weekend.
Meanwhile, a popular spring boardwalk car show and a cheer competition at the convention center are also on the calendar.
"I would imagine parking is going to be a little congested right in the center of town. But the Wildwoods boardwalk, the Wildwoods in general, they're really geared towards handling very large crowds," Wildwoods Boardwalk Special Improvement District's Patrick Rosenello explained.
Normally, you don’t have to pay for metered parking in Wildwood until May 15th. But with the rally and everything else here this weekend, the city moved up the date to tomorrow.
"All about making some extra money for the community," Mayor Troiano said. "It brings revenue into the community that helps support all this stuff that we do for the tourists."
Meanwhile, Hotaling disapproves.
"I don’t think that’s fair for us year-rounders," she said. "Trump’s probably paying a lot of money to be here so I think they’re getting plenty."
City officials say that the campaign shelled out more than $54,000 to cover expenses for police, fire, EMS services and public works. They say that money is already in the bank.
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