From the DNCC:
DENVER – Breaking the mold of traditional political Conventions, the Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) today announced that Senator Barack Obama will accept the Democratic nomination for President of the United States at Denver’s INVESCO Field at Mile High. INVESCO Field can accommodate more than 75,000 people and will be the site of the 2008 Democratic Convention’s final day of programming on Thursday, August 28, 2008.
The place seats 76,000. Jeralyn thinks they'll need a rock band for an opener, but I don't know. I imagine that (Invesco Field at) Mile High could be filled without it. There will be 15-20 thousand people directly affiliated with the convention itself--delegates, spouses, family members, DNC and campaign officials, official press, etc. That means that the community itself would need to generate 50,000 people or so to fill the place. I think we could probably do that. (I'm not sold on turning the thing into a concert, but If they do have a rock band, make it Springsteen or Mellancamp, especially if delegates get special seating, which we should.)
It's not entirely "breaking the mold," as the above cited press release says. John F. Kennedy gave his nomination speech at the Los Angeles Colisseum in 1960. The Colisseum held 100,000 in those days. JFK didn't fill it, but did draw 80,000. JFK gave a fine speech, but it's not clear whether the venue helped or hurt in terms of connecting with the people or making a good visual for TV.
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