Washington University showed its "can-do" spirit in a nine-day scramble that began Oct. 2 to host the first presidential debate of 1992.
Between the afternoon of Oct. 2 and the morning of Oct. 3, a committee of University administrators assembled, developed a strategy, and prepared for a tour Oct. 4 by the Commission on Presidential Debates. The commission produces the event and inspects debate sites. Potential sites included the University's Athletic Complex, Edison Theatre, Mallinckrodt Center and the Cervantes Convention Center downtown.
To be considered to host the the Oct. 11 event, the University had to provide: a 25,000-square-foot area that could be set up as a debate hall within 72 hours of the event; a 20,000-square-foot area for media; sufficient telephone lines and electrical power; and an air conditioning system capable of keeping the hall at a cool 72 degrees.
"The air conditioning was crucial because of the heat produced by the intense lighting that focuses on the candidates," said Sara Johnson, special assistant to Chancellor William H. Danforth. Johnson was the one who took the first telephone call when the chancellor's office was contacted about the possibility of the University hosting the debate.
"The air conditioning system in the Field House had already been shut down for the winter," she continued. "But between noon Saturday and Sunday morning the system was brought back on and the building was cooled."
The University became the frontrunner for the debate site Saturday afternoon when Cervantes Convention Center, which also was being considered, dropped out of the running because of prior commitments. The commission arrived on campus before noon Sunday, completed its tour and announced its decision at 4 p.m.
Taking a cue from the commission, University officials gathered swiftly for a late-night organizational meeting to plan the week's activities.
The arduous task of turning a sporting complex into a high-tech television studio and media center began early Monday by accelerating landscaping improvements previously budgeted and slated for next spring. Sod was turned, shrubs were pruned, dead trees were removed and the bears sculpture at the Athletic Complex entrance were bathed.
Interior work on the facility began in tandem, with the focus of the transformation taking place in the Field House. Contractors arrived to construct the high-rise stage that would be the backdrop for the historic event. The specially designed stage was 64 feet across and surrounded by a crescent-shaped wall that stood 36 feet high. The same set, which traveled cross-country to reach St. Louis, was scheduled to be used in the two upcoming debates in Richmond, Va., and East Lansing, Mich.
In addition, four special platforms were built to accommodate each of the television networks, ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN. The platforms, which were opposite the debate stage, rose up seven feet and measured 18 feet by 20 feet-across. Steve Rackers, manager of capital projects and records, said the platforms were exceptionally sturdy to handle the weight of the cameras and crews without vibrating.
Three smaller platforms were constructed for the still cameras that filmed the debate and for photographers from the print media.
Acoustical improvements also were necessary. The gymnasium floor was covered with rented carpet and carpet segments were secured around the upper-level railing to absorb unwanted sound. Heavy drapes, some more than 60 feet long, also were hung along the interior walls of the gymnasium and behind the stage.
"It was amazing," John Schael, director of athletics said of the transformation to the gymnasium. "No one would recognize it. It was completely different."
Holding rooms and 3,000-square-foot areas for each candidate's staff also were set up. Temporary plumbing for bathroom facilities had to be installed in the holding areas for independent candidate Ross Perot and President George Bush. Gov. Bill Clinton's holding area was an existing room.
The schedules for completion of specific areas changed routinely as workers tried to meet the requests of the candidates, their staffs and the debate producers and directors. Phil Godfrey, associate athletic director, said the candidates originally had wanted their staff support areas ready by 9 a.m. Wednesday. But because of difficulty in securing three spaces of equal size, that request was set back by about a day.
At a morning meeting on Wednesday, Ed Fouhy, executive producer of the debates, said he was pleased with the progress being made. "The spirit here is amazing," Fouhy told the group. "I'm overwhelmed at the progress made in a very short time."
By Wednesday night, lights were being hung over the red carpeted stage in the debate hall and the recreation gymnasium down the hall had become the press center. In the press center, 137 tables were placed end-to-end for the 1,000 journalists covering the event. Each table had four electrical outlets and access lines for computer terminals. Telephone lines to accommodate all these people were installed.
Fifteen square curtained cubicles, each with its own power supply, were set up for the television network affiliates in Francis Gymnasium.
Union Electric provided the electricity for the event and Sachs Electric distributed the power indoors and outdoors. Ralph H. Thaman Jr., director of the Department of Facilities Planning and Management, said electrical needs were far and above what is normally available in the Athletic Complex. Officials estimated electrical power to be approximately double what is normally available.
Fouhy said "redundancy" or back-up systems were built into the debate hall's sound and lighting systems in the event of a power failure.
Early in the week, Godfrey had reported the debate hall was to be ready by 3 p.m. Friday, when the first walk-throughs were scheduled to take place for media and those involved in the renovations. The deadline was met and by 3 p.m., Saturday, the final deadline, only minor fine tuning remained. At that point, construction began winding down, telephone lines were activated and last-minute changes were made.
"There was an unprecedented amount of cooperation among the University, outside contractors and suppliers involved in this endeavor," said Ed McMullin, manager of technical operations and a Washington alumnus. "The men and women who made up this work force did an exceptional job of cooperating."
Thaman agreed with McMullin. "Everything went very well," he said. "The real heroes are all the people who worked around the clock to make this happen."
Richard A. Roloff, executive vice chancellor for administration and finance, said the work that was accomplished was an example of the University's "can-do" attitude.
"The transformation of the gymnasium into a television studio wasn't as important to me as seeing what people could accomplish by working together," Roloff said. "Anyone who might be questioning their faith in the future of America should have been at Washington University last week."