Cassell Coliseum does not have the required floor space to accommodate a debate stage. It would also need to be fully carpeted.
Commonwealth Ballroom does not meet ceiling height restrictions. It also would need to install permanent, padded seating, as well as carpet.
Burruss Auditorium meets many of the venue requirements; however, parking for media trucks would be a catch.
The CPD's site guide stipulates the need for a "large parking area close to the debate hall for up to 50 television remote trucks, trailers and/or satellite trucks up to 53 feet in length. Media will be running cables from this parking area into the debate hall, media filing center, and media interview center."
Burruss and the surrounding area would need major renovations to support that requirement.
Some of the CPD guidelines include a minimum ceiling height of 35 feet, and at least 17,000 square feet of fully carpeted floor space.
The hall is also held to strict standards on electric power and air conditioning. According to the CPD guidelines, the hall must provide "individual overhead vents for the candidates."
Eyre said many schools renovate their facilities to meet the CPD's standards.
"A lot of schools invest a lot of time, money and energy to make themselves eligible to host a debate," Eyre said. "It is not uncommon for schools to make substantial investments in order to be able to host a debate."
Washington University has hosted debates in its basketball stadium, which actually holds fewer people than Virginia Tech's Cassell Coliseum. However, the Washington University Field House has more floor space.
Givens said students have responded positively to hosting debates.
"The feedback we continue to get from our students is that this is one of the most important things they've ever found themselves in the middle of," Givens said.
Washington University students received 432 of approximately 1,100 tickets to the vice presidential debate.
"It's different than a campaign stop rally; it's different than a presidential visit or a speaker," Givens said. "The main difference is that the eyes of the world are really turned toward us for a short period of time. We certainly enjoy the publicity that it brings to our campus."
Tech has never hosted a presidential debate, and no current campus facility meets the CPD guidelines without renovation.
Hofstra University in New York hosted its first debate earlier this year. Eyre said locations are chosen on quality of facilities alone. Location in a swing state or a politically important area has no bearing on the CPD's decision.
The University of Richmond hosted the last debate to take place in Virginia. Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Ross Perot debated in Robbins Field House on Oct. 15, 1992.
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Perhaps this is something tech could look into as it continues to build and expand!
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This will never happen because of the money. Tech won't invest that much money in something that is not even guaranteed.
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I understand how Tech could fall short on this issue, as with a title of "As debate host, Tech would fall short," where were the points?
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Another horrible headline with very little, if anything, to do with the content of the article...the CT is definitely going downhill.
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You have to be uphill to go downhill...
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The Cassell Coliseum was built on the cheap and is too archaic for hosting anything other than basketball and commencements. That's why you'll never see a concert in there -- the building lacks any ground level access to the floor and the roof is unable to support lighting rigs.
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