WINSTON-SALEM (AP) — Wake Forest University is hopeful it will be the site of an October eleventh presidential debate despite lack of formal agreement on the event.

Republican George W. Bush hasn't yet agreed to participate in three debates with Democrat Al Gore. The debates are being organized by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates.

Wake Forest is one of the three debate sites. The university hosted a presidential debate in 1988.

The Bush campaign has indicated it will discuss potential debates with the commission and Gore has sad he will debate in any setting.

Wake Forest spokesman Kevin Cox said university and debate commission officials remain optimistic that the debate will take place. The university is going ahead with preparations for the event that could draw some 25-hundred people.

The university has committed 550-thousand dollars for the debate.

The other debate sites are the University of Massachusetts in Boston on October third and Washington University in St. Louis on October 17th.