GREENVILLE - Greenville is getting ready for the Democratic presidential primary debate later this month that will put the city in the national spotlight.

City crews during the weekend began hanging 90 red, white and blue banners downtown to promote the Jan. 29 event at the Peace Center for the Performing Arts.

The state Democratic Party is paying for the banners and the labor to mount them.

The banners, with the state and national flags, note the Young Democrats of South Carolina's sponsorship of the debate, along with Furman University, before the state's first-in-the-South primary Feb. 3.

Debate spokesman Doug Dent said the banners foreshadow more hoopla in the days ahead.

He estimated 350 reporters will join an expected 10,000 to 20,000 people for the event.

"It's probably going to be the biggest media event this city has ever seen," he said. "We're going to turn Greenville into one big Democratic party."