POTUS to Address U.S. City Mayors at the Union Square Hilton Hotel on Friday

This weekend, the city of San Francisco will be hosting the 83rd U.S. Conference of Mayors at the Union Square Hilton Hotel. The Conference will be a chance for almost 300 mayors from across the country to unite together in order to strengthen federal and city ties, and participate in necessary leadership and management trainings.

Organized after the inauguration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the U.S. Conference of Mayors was created in order to ensure that federal policy and money were being effectively applied toward urban cities.

This week, President Obama will be addressing the mayors of major metropolitan areas from across the nation to discuss the economic health of their cities. While the Commander in Chief has yet to disclose his talking points, proposed topics for the conference come from the USCM President, and Mayor of Sacramento, Kevin Johnson’s speech titled, “Cities 3.0.“

“Today, we are entering the era of Cities 3.0. In this era, the city is a hub of innovation, entrepreneurship and technology. The 3.0 city must be the ultimate service provider.”

“Cities must provide a new kind of infrastructure, like citywide Wi-Fi networks and turnkey operations for start-up companies, from office space to high speed communication lines.”

“The bottom line is cities must provide services and infrastructure that residents and businesses need and do it quicker, faster and cheaper. We must be the engines driving the local and national economy.”

“We know that keeping up in the modern era demands innovation. If cities are going to drive the revitalization of this nation then we need to become the laboratories and incubators of change.”

What the Conference Means for San Francisco

San Francisco was chosen as the host city in order to showcase the types of innovation the conference hopes to replicate.

In a press conference, Mayor Ed Lee stated that, “This is a great opportunity to showcase San Francisco as both a world-class tourist destination and hub for innovation in our country. San Francisco is truly a world-class city and is the perfect place for mayors to learn and discuss the issues of the day.”

From high minimum wage to job creation to sustainability and environmental protection, San Francisco has been at the forefront of change and progress.

Expect Delays, Closures, and Heightened Security for the President’s Visit

As some ferry riders have already noticed, security throughout the city has been intensified. Armored police with automatic rifles and search dogs have been spotted around the city in preparation for President Obama.

While the President is only expected to visit for the day, prepare for delays and possible closures near O’Farrell and Ellis Streets over the weekend, as the conference will continue through Monday, June 22nd. Checkpoints have not yet been established, but expect all traffic surrounding the Union Square Hilton to be slow and difficult.

Senator Hillary Clinton is also expected to visit the city this weekend to meet with donors and aides so plan your weekend activities accordingly. Check back later this week with Reset San Francisco for transportation updates and coverage of the Mayors Conference.