The Democratic National Committee announced today that the party’s presidential nominating convention will be condensed from four to three days, marking a big change from tradition.

Labor Day had been the planned first day of the 2012 Democratic National Convention. But the DNC announced that instead it “will be designated as a day to celebrate the Carolinas, Virginia and the South at Charlotte Motor Speedway,” according to a press release.

Democrats will also repeat their 2008 decision to have the nomination acceptance speech take place in an NFL stadium. President Barack Obama will accept his party’s nomination in Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium, home of the Carolina Panthers.

“With changes in format and venue — shortening the convention to three days, moving the President’s acceptance speech to Bank of America Stadium and designating Monday as a day to celebrate the Carolinas, Virginia and the South — we are underlining the mission of this convention — to engage Americans,” said Democratic National Convention Committee CEO Steve Kerrigan.

The Bank of America Stadium has a seating capacity of about 74,000, which is slightly smaller than Sports Authority Field at Mile High (formerly Invesco Field) in Denver, site of Obama’s 2008 acceptance speech.