Shoemaker Center Closed for an ‘Event Rental’ Through Wednesday as Trump Rally Site Stays Unannounced

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Ross County

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio: Two days out, the site of President Donald Trump’s rally in Chillicothe on Wednesday still has not been announced, but there is a fresh clue. Ohio University Chillicothe said Monday its Shoemaker Center will be closed for an event rental through Wednesday.

Ohio University Chillicothe posted on Facebook on Monday: “Ohio University Chillicothe’s Shoemaker Center will be closed for an event rental through Wednesday.” The post did not say what the event is, and the university has not publicly tied the closure to the rally.

What is confirmed about Wednesday is the schedule. The rally is set for Wednesday, Oct. 28, with doors opening at 3:30 p.m., the program beginning at 5:30 p.m. and the president’s remarks scheduled for 7 p.m. Tickets are free, but registration is required through the official event page, with a limit of four tickets per signup and a confirmation by text message. Checked Monday afternoon, the official event listing still did not name a location, showing only the date, the schedule and the ticket signup.

The Shoemaker Center sits at 101 University Drive on the Ohio University Chillicothe campus. According to Ohio University, it is the campus recreation building, with a full-length basketball court, a walking track and a fitness center, and bleacher seating for approximately 2,400 spectators. The building was dedicated in 1979 and named for Myrl Shoemaker, a longtime Ohio state representative who later served as lieutenant governor. The center also hosts graduation ceremonies and community events.

A word of caution is in order. A closed arena in rally week is a strong hint, not an announcement, and the rental could still turn out to be something else entirely. Campaigns also keep exact sites quiet until late for security reasons, and it remains possible the rally lands somewhere else in town. As of Monday afternoon, neither the campaign’s event page nor the university had said in so many words that the rally is at the Shoemaker Center.

The Chillicothe stop comes in the final week of the fall campaign ahead of the Nov. 3 election, when Ohio voters will decide the special U.S. Senate election between Sen. Jon Husted and former Sen. Sherrod Brown, along with the governor’s race between Vivek Ramaswamy and Amy Acton.

We are reaching out for more information and will update this story as details become available.

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