Dean tours Invesco Stadium...is asked what they will do if it rains during speech.

Democratic National Committee Chair Howard Dean got his first look in person Thursday at the 75,000-seat stadium where the presumptive Democratic nominee is to give his acceptance speech Aug. 28, the final night of the convention. During a brief press conference, Dean was asked by one reporter what the plan will be for the multitudes if it should rain. The speech was moved to Invesco from the nearby Pepsi Center with the intent of vastly increasing the potential public attendance.

"That's a good question," said Dean. "I don't know the answer, but I'm sure we'll have one."

DNCC CEO Leah Daughtry, standing at his side, pitched in with, "Wear ponchos."

The year was 2003, and the date was Aug. 30 - two nights later than the date for which Obama's speech is scheduled. Rain clouds that had been building through the first half of the game finally released a near-biblical torrent in the third quarter of the University of Colorado-Colorado State University football game.

But mere rain was not the only issue. CU media information director David Plati recalls that a bolt of lighting also struck in the immediate vicinity, just as CU quarterback Joel Klatt connected with receiver Derek McCoy for a 78-yard touchdown, forcing players to be pulled from the field. Play was suspended for a full 28 minutes before conditions were judged safe for it to be resumed.

On the decision to move to Invesco:

"It was a quick decision . . . but it was the right decision," Backus said. "I think it sends a neat message to people that this is their convention. Just as Barack Obama has redefined what a traditional campaign is, he's now redefining what a convention is."

On themes for the convention:

Obama wants to build on Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean's vision of "bringing down the walls" of the convention. That was one big reason for moving the acceptance speech to Invesco, where more people could attend.

"The story of this convention is the story of this campaign," Backus said. "Barack Obama is a great messenger but he himself said that it's not him, it's the millions of people who brought him here. And we're going to be looking for ways to highlight those people."

Democratic Party Chairman Gov. Howard Dean toured Invesco Field at Mile High Thursday morning to view the site where Barack Obama will deliver his acceptance speech during the Democratic National Convention late next month.

Dean said he's reviewed drawings for the staging of the event and was "stunned" by them, The Rocky Mountain News reported. However, he also said the Obama campaign has not signed off on them yet.

Dean noted this new convention format will make the political event one for outsiders, not insiders.

Democratic National Committee Chief Executive Officer Leah Daughtry and Obama National Co-Chair Federico Peña accompanied Dean Thursday. Four first-time delegates to the convention also toured the site with the Democratic Party officials.

They said more than 5,000 people will watch the speech from the field and that the stage will be positioned so that the maximum number of people can watch in the stadium's seats.