This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

It seems to be good to be the veep.

Vice President Joe Biden likely arrived in Salt Lake City on Thursday night to settle into his digs at Hotel Monaco — a much swankier spot than where his boss stayed during his April visit to Utah.

When he came to town, President Barack Obama stayed at the downtown Sheraton, which was surrounded by dump trucks for security reasons.

A motorcade — a parade of 30 motorcycle officers, several vans and an ambulance — arrived at the swanky hotel about 9:30 p.m. Thursday, snarling traffic downtown. A man who identified himself as being with the Secret Service stood by a tent outside the hotel before the motorcade arrived.

Before the motorcade arrived, a valet outside the hotel said staff were awaiting Biden's arrival.

As a helicopter circled downtown, Matthew Monahan and his friend Gavin Poquette sat down on the edges of large plant pots on the opposite side of 200 South from the hotel, waiting to see whether they might get a glimpse of the arriving dignitary. They had just been on a walk, enjoying the relatively warm winter night, when they heard word that he might be arriving.

"You don't get to see the VP every day," Monahan said. He doubted whether they would, though, indicating toward the white tent set up near an entrance to the hotel, halfway down the block.

"I like his reason for being here, the cancer research," Monahan added.

The vice president is scheduled to travel to the Huntsman Cancer Institute on Friday to promote the search for a cancer cure. Traffic in the area likely will be backed up Friday morning to allow Biden's motorcade to travel to the research facility at the University of Utah.

Where the president stays often has to do with three main factors: security, location and availability. Perhaps all three aligned for his No. 2 on Thursday.

Tribune reporter Matthew Piper contributed to this story.

mmcfall@sltrib.com; nparker@sltrib.com

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