Preparations underway for Democratic National Convention at Wells Fargo Center

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is just over four weeks away.

On Wednesday, staff members moved into the Wells Fargo Center, where the convention will be held.

The first thing you notice when you walk into the center is the lack of seats.

Some 4700 of them have been removed, leaving behind big swaths of concrete.

This is where, in the coming weeks, the massive stage and podium - along with various camera platforms - will be constructed.

Upstairs, crews were readying suites to be used by television news organizations.

About 500 workers are involved in getting ready for the DNC.

Outside, carpenters were installing a floor inside one of several huge temporary structures now under construction for reporters.

To many people, 33 days may not seem like enough time to finish what remains to be done at the Wells Fargo Center.

That feeling is not shared by those in the political convention business.

"We're ready to go," the convention CEO, Rev. Leah Daugherty, told Action News. "And we move in, and we start executing right away. So we are on time, on task, on budget - maybe even a little bit early."

That is the battle cry.

Three weeks ago, the host committee said it was still almost $10 million shy of the $64 million it wants to collect.

Daughtery expressed no concern about that on Wednesday.

"They are working on that," she said. "We did a press conference yesterday at the National Press Club.... They are confident they will meet that goal. It is not impacting us here. So we remain on track."