Democratic Presidential Debate To Be Held At Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta

Just weeks after its grand opening, Tyler Perry Studios will host the next Democratic Debate on Nov. 20. Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams made the announcement via her Twitter account on Friday.

Democratic Debate site is set: @TPStudios is a model for Georgia’s vibrant film industry, an engaged corporate citizen and an exceptional location for our #DemDebate. Looking forward to welcoming the candidates to Georgia on November 20. #gapol

— Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) October 26, 2019

Candidates in the upcoming debate will include Joe Biden, Julian Castro, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Andrew Yang, and Tom Seyer. The debate will be hosted by MSNBC and The Washington Post and be facilitated by four female moderators: MSNBC hosts Rachel Maddow and Andrea Mitchell, NBC News’ White House correspondent Kristen Welker, and Ashley Parker, a White House reporter for The Washington Post.

As reported by The Atlanta Voice, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms fought for the debate to be held in Atlanta and began campaigning for the November debate to be held in Georgia following the Sept. 21 debate in Houston. “With people of color being the cornerstone of the Democratic Party, Atlanta remains set to provide a large portion of votes for our eventual nominee,” Lance Bottoms wrote, a reminder that African Americans made up roughly 60% of primary voters in the 2018 vote.

In a statement, Lance Bottoms said she is “proud that Atlanta has been chosen as the next debate site. Out of respect for the party and the network, it would be inappropriate to speak on a location before they have issued a formal announcement,” she said.

Movie mogul Tyler Perry opened the state-of-the-art studio in Atlanta last month and held a star-studded gala to celebrate. He acquired The Tyler Perry Studio in 2015, which is located on the historic grounds of the former Fort McPherson army base, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The major motion picture studio showcases 40 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, 12 purpose-built sound stages, 200 acres of green space and a diverse backlot. The successful filmmaker, actor, director, and producer is the first African American to own a major film production studio of this magnitude.