Google's Two-Story "Tent" Hosting Bloggers at Denver DNC

DENVER, Colorado -- Bloggers and other alternative journalists will be populating the hive of activity that is going up on Wynkoop Street in Denver's cool LoDo (Lower Downtown) district, just down the street from the famous Tattered Cover bookstore. Word has been going around for months about Google's "two story tent," with local alternative and indy journalists trying to picture what such a thing would be like.

We don't have to wait any longer, and here is one of the first pictures. Actually, it does seem to be a little sturdier than a tent. And except for those of us who take our "geek toys" camping, it's the most high-tech tent most people have seen. With MSNBC setting up a facility for broadcasts of "Hardball" down the street, it will be interesting to compare mainstream versus alternative journalism's idea of an "on location" facility. The two big questions: Which is more high-tech and effective, and which is cooler? We are talking Google, after all.

The call went out months ago and spaces in the tent were filled quickly for a token payment (around $100). The tent has WiFi, limited power, yoga, massages, smoothies and live entertainment. The invocation will be given by Michael Beckwith, a minister who appeared as one of the experts in "The Secret." Food and drinks are included, and the 8,000-square foot space is expected to host a large number of formal and informal discussions amongst the alternative media, non-profit leaders, and thinkers and movers and shakers of all kinds.

Despite the temporary nature of the building, the website indicates that the Big Tent will be ADA-accessible, so no matter how "differently abled" participants are, there will be a place for them in the tent. Baby changing will also be available.

Green features of the tent include reusable water containers and bulk water to avoid the usual pile of clear bottles, a big deal in Denver where keeping hydrated is especially important. Printing will be kept to a minimum, food will be consciously provided, tableware is biodegradable and one of the five bike stations in the downtown area will be at the Big Tent. Guests will be given ideas to reduce their effects on the physical environment as well, as they increase their effect on the political environment.

Hundreds of blogs will be involved in the events at the Google Big Tent, from the well-known such as Ms. Magazine, The Nation and PoliticsWest, to the specialized and new. Visiting the tent's website will give readers links to check them all out. Video blogs (vlogs) and YouTube activity will be an important part of this year's activity, and Google is providing a "YouTube booth" to streamline the process.

Because the Democratic National Convention is only the catalyst for what will be a week of activity for hundreds of groups to express and pursue their vision of the future, the Big Tent will be a source of insight into this broad range of activity and vision. Political bloggers and media will be digging into the convention-related news and showing it from all angles, and for those who aren't into hardcore politics, the winds of change will also be on the agenda and in the news during the coming week in Denver.

http://www.bigtentdenver.com/