Hofstra University will host the first presidential debate on Sept. 26, after Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, pulled out, the Commission on Presidential Debates announced Tuesday.
“Hofstra University is honored to be called on to host the first presidential debate on Sept. 26, 2016. This is an extraordinary privilege and responsibility. We greatly appreciate the faith shown in us by the Commission on Presidential Debates, and we have begun preparations for a very successful debate,” said Hofstra President Stuart Rabinowitz in a statement posted on Twitter.
“The commission looks forward to working with Hofstra once again,” the group said.
On Sept. 23, 2015, the commission announced that Hofstra would serve as an alternate site this year.
The president of Wright State, David Hopkins, told the Dayton News that the university had to drop out due to inadequate funding and the high security risk.
The cost for the debate rose from $3.5 million to $8 million. Unlike private institutions that have hosted past debates, Wright State cannot regulate public access to the campus because it’s a public university.
The debate is set to be one of three between the presumptive Republican nominee, Donald Trump, and the presumptive Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton.
“Hofstra University served very successfully as a presidential debate site in 2012,” the statement said.
In 2008, Hofstra hosted the cycle’s third presidential debate between Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain. It also played host to 2012’s second debate between President Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
