The CNN Grill, located across the street from the Tampa Bay Times Forum, officially opened its doors last night on the eve of the delayed opening of the RNC.
The Grill is home to some of CNN’s morning and daytime programming, including “Early Start” and Brooke Baldwin’s 2-4pmET block of “CNN Newsroom.” CNN’s primetime coverage is broadcast from the Tampa Bay Times Forum, as the Grill turns into a restaurant and bar — serving local Florida fare — in the evenings.
The workspace has a large digital component, with iPads available to visitors at the bar and an eight-foot touchscreen tablet with updated election tools for convention attendees.
With no speeches from the convention floor Monday night, the main event was Piers Morgan’s live interview with Mitt Romney‘s five sons, which took place during the 7pmET hour.
Absent from CNN’s convention space was Anderson Cooper who is in New Orleans as Isaac nears the Gulf Coast. Soledad O’Brien also anchored “Starting Point” from NOLA this morning.
More pictures of the CNN Grill are after the jump.