Election 2020: Trump-Biden Debate Moves To Miami After University Of Michigan Pulls Out Over Coronavirus Concerns

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami will host the second presidential debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden in October, after the University of Michigan backed out because of coronavirus concerns.

According to CBS News, the second scheduled debate on Oct. 15 was to be at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. But the university’s president Mark Schlissel said Monday (June 22) the university will re-open in-person classes this fall and would have to withdraw as host knowing presidential debates will attract thousands of people.

“We feel it is not feasible for us to safely host the presidential debate as planned,” Schlissel said in a statement. “We will protect our students, faculty and staff with a broad array of research-based public health measures and tools.”

Miami confirmed Tuesday that it has replaced Michigan as the host of the second presidential debate.

“We are honored to have the opportunity to represent Miami on the global stage and to play a small role in the democratic process,” Johann Zietsman, the president of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts said, reported the Miami Herald.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said that coronavirus cases in the Jacksonville and Miami area are low compared to other hotspots in the state. Mayor Francis Suarez said that it’s not yet possible to gauge what to expect come Oct. 15 but if the debate was to happen today, there likely would be no audience at the venue.

The Arsht Center submitted its plans to reopen to the administrators Monday. Some of its proposals include the mandatory wearing ofs masks and reducing the number of visitors.

The first presidential debate will be on Sept. 29 at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. The final presidential debate is on Oct. 22 at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.