Venue gets mixed reviews as National Spelling Bee returns to DC ahead of White House UFC event

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Scripps National Spelling Bee has moved from suburban Maryland to downtown Washington, and not all spellers and their families appreciate the change. The Bee is being held at Constitution Hall, a nearly century-old concert venue just blocks from the White House and the Washington Monument. Spellers are dealing with logistical hurdles including crowded hallways, limited dining options and shuttle bus rides. The quickest route between the venue and the hotel where spellers are staying would be to walk across the Ellipse south of the White House. But that's been fenced off for a UFC event on President Donald Trump's 80th birthday.

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