Belmont University will host the final presidential debate in 2020, less than two weeks before Election Day.

The Commission on Presidential Debates selected Belmont from a pool of six finalists, the university announced Friday. It will host the last of three presidential debates on Oct. 22, 2020.

The announcement was celebrated by a bipartisan slate of local officials, including Nashville Mayor John Cooper, Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, and Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper.

Belmont previously hosted a presidential debate in 2008, when U.S. Sen. John McCain and former President Barack Obama met there in a town hall format. The university was selected as an alternate for a presidential debate in 2016.

Belmont President Bob Fisher called the 2008 debate a “transformational moment” for the university that “changed the way we thought about ourselves.” He pointed to the explosive growth — at Belmont and across the city — since the last debate took place.

"We thought if we could pull this off, we could do anything," Fisher said. "Since 2008, we've done it over and over and over, we doubled our enrollment. We've built $500 million in new buildings, we've added significant academic programs."

The 2020 debate would present a similar opportunity to boost the campus and the city, he said.

Tennessee has hosted two presidential debates, including the upcoming 2020 slot. Belmont snagged them both.

Rep. Jim Cooper said this debate, which is expected to feature President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger, would inform the most important presidential election in memory. Blackburn said the 2020 debate would be particularly pivotal because it would take place while early voting here and across the country was underway.

The event would put "Nashville once again on the world stage," Mayor John Cooper said.

Fisher said Belmont would be up to the task.

"Things have changed a lot since 2008 in the world, so I expect we 'll be focusing even more on the safety issues and security issues for our candidate," he said. "But I have to say we did a pretty good job last time, and we wouldn't have asked to do it again if we didn't think we could do it better."

The Commission on Presidential Debates announced the dates for three other debate dates on Friday.

The University of Notre Dame will host the first presidential debate on Sept. 29, 2020.

The University of Utah in Salt Lake City will host the vice presidential debate on Oct. 7, 2020.

The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor will host the second presidential debate on Oct. 15, 2020.

Reach Adam Tamburin at 615-726-5986 and atamburin@tennessean.com. Follow him on Twitter @tamburintweets.