Due to concerns surrounding COVID-19, the Mississippi Economic Council (MEC) is moving its 19th annual Hobnob Mississippi to a virtual format.
Typically, the political event is held at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson, however, MEC officials decided earlier this year that Trustmark Park in Pearl would be a safer option as it not only seats 7,000 people but is an open-air venue.
A few months after that decision was made, Mississippi is still seeing daily case reports close to four digits. Due to the facts at hand, MEC President Scott Waller recently made the call to have attendees join virtually through a livestream. In order to maintain the “Banter at the Ballpark” theme, elected officials and candidates will still speak from Trustmark Park.
“The decision was made a couple of weeks ago that it’s still in our best interest to try to be very aware of the issues surround COVID-19, so we said let’s continue to move forward with having Hobnob at the ballpark, but we will do it as a live, virtual event” Waller explained on Thursday’s episode of The Gallo Show.
With headliners in United States Senate candidates Mike Espy and Cindy Hyde-Smith, the event’s lineup also includes a panel of statewide officials, featuring Governor Tate Reeves and Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann—both who have been part of an ongoing saga between the legislative and executive branches.
Hobnob Mississippi 2020 will begin at 10:30 a.m. on October 29th. For the full lineup, click here, and to hear more from Waller, check out the video below.
