Where Democrats Gather (Or not)

This week the Architects of Hope gather at two separate arenas for the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. Most of the speeches will take place at the Time Warner Cable Arena, designed by Ellerbe Becket and suitable for about 19,000 fans.

But the really big speeches—by the President and Vice President of the United States—take a really big venue*, like the Bank of America Stadium shown here. Over 70,000 Obama–Biden fans will be able to pack this HOK-designed football stadium for the Democrats' closing ceremonies.

Last week, the Republicans held their national convention at the smaller Tampa Bay Times Forum. Do Democrats need more room because their ideas are bigger? We hope they can fill those seats.

*UPDATE: So now the Democrats have changed the venue for President Obama's speech. Instead of the enormous Bank of America Stadium, the convention will remain inside at the Time Warner Cable Arena. Are they worried about the weather? Concerned about crowd safety? Or afraid of empty seats? Theories are flying. Who ever thought architecture would cause such a stir?

Learn More:

• Stadium and Arena Pictures: Big Buildings Designed for Sports and Entertainment

^{Photo of the Bank of America stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina ©Suzie Tremmel, Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0), flickr.com}