Envisioned by John Powers and organization staff, Michael Huttner (founder of ProgressNow), and Markos Moulitsas (founder of Daily Kos) and located in The Alliance Center’s parking lot, the Big Tent was a nonprofit, nonpartisan event that provided dedicated space for new media journalists and bloggers during the 2008 Democratic National Convention. The Big Tent included the use of both The Alliance Center—one of Colorado’s greenest buildings—as well as an 8,000-square-foot, two-story temporary structure that housed a state-of-the-art blogging/new media lounge, the Google retreat, and the Digg Stage (the main stage on the first floor). The Big Tent hosted a diverse range of participants from local tweeters to national media figures such as Rachael Maddow and Dan Rather.
