In just three days, President Barack Obama is scheduled to be in East Lansing to speak about the economy, according to several media reports citing a White House official.
The president of the United States, leader of the free world, in our town. Wow.
The last time he was on campus was in 2008, prior to being elected president.
But as we prepare for his arrival, crucial details remain a mystery — where will he be speaking, and will we even be able to see him speak?
As of press time, there was no official announcement regarding the details of Obama’s visit. We have a few ideas about where he could speak if he chooses to come to campus.
Listen up, Mr. President. We’ve got some advice.
Our choices vary depending on if the event is intended to be a more exclusive, invite-only affair or if it is meant to engage with the student body and community.
Ideally, any student or community member who wants to see him would be able to. But of course, that likely is impossible.
We weighed the pros and cons of several locations on campus, selecting Breslin Center as our top choice.
Hopefully on Friday, we’ll all be sitting in the stands, cheering on our President. We can dream, right?
Breslin Center
Although there might be some security details that would need to be worked out, Breslin Center is the best choice for Obama’s visit. This location would give the most students the chance to engage with Obama.
We’re sure we’re not the only ones who would be disappointed if it turned out Obama’s visit was closed to the public. Breslin can hold about 15,000 people, leaving many chances for students to snag tickets if the venue were filled to capacity.
It’s also a convenient location in terms of transportation. Imagine how inconvenient it would be to chose a location close to Grand River Avenue in the middle of the city. The secret service likely would have to sweep the businesses along the road, and traffic would be a mess. Closing Harrison Road would be slightly less inconvenient, since it would mostly hinder on-campus traffic as opposed to the main road through downtown East Lansing.
To add another pro to the list for Breslin, Obama is somewhat of a Spartan fan. An NBC News reporter tweeted about Obama’s staff encouraging him to watch C-SPAN before his State of the Union address instead of watching MSU defeat Iowa last week. As a fan, it’s only right that he speaks in Breslin where our team plays. Maybe he’d even get to meet Izzo.
Wharton Center’s Cobb Great Hall
The venue seats about 2,400 people and is a more traditional location for a speaker on campus. Although Cobb Great Hall does not accommodate as large of a group as Breslin, 2,400 people still would be a large crowd.
Wharton Center also might be easier to secure, and certainly would look great on camera, with ideal theater lighting and a stage already set.
This wouldn’t be the first time Wharton Center hosted such a political event. In 1992, then-President George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Ross Perot participated in a debate at the venue that gained international attention.
National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory
MSU’s National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory will eventually transition into the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams — a project with an estimated cost of $730 million — and was our wildcard choice for Obama’s speaking venue.
Although it doesn’t have the ability to hold as large of a group as Breslin or Wharton, it would draw attention to the project.
The research facility’s accelerator, which is used to conduct nuclear research, is one of a few of its kind in the world.
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Recently, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow said in a release that the facility could create thousands of jobs in Michigan, and it is critical for our country.
With the lab receiving national attention for its potential job creation, it would make sense for Obama to make a visit to it, or at least mention it in his speech, on the state of the economy if he brings up jobs in Michigan.
Although it would be great for MSU to receive attention for its research and FRIB research, it might hinder students from being able to see Obama speak if he chooses to speak there.
Kellogg Center
Kellogg Center poses similar issues as the cyclotron facility — lack of space and accessibility to students.
But it would be a safe choice if the president is planning to host a more intimate, invite-only presentation on Friday.
Students would likely not be able to purchase tickets to such an event, but the Kellogg Center would be a more upscale location and definitely is a venue fit for hosting our president.
