Construction of $27m new student center to begin December

Construction for the new Student Activities Center will begin in December.

The planning process for the new structure started several years ago with a committee that included students from diverse groups.

The new student union, which will be known as the Student Activities Center, will feature an extended food court with popular franchises and a new campus hall similar to the one in Thompson Center 207 but larger.

"This will be a place where students can host programs for up to 600 people and is designed to be dividable to host multiple groups, and will have the latest technology," Theo Howard said.

Howard is the assistant vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life, and the planning committee chair for the new center.

The Student Activities Center will also include an indoor track, a game room, lounge space on multiple levels, and

study rooms.

There will be space with equipment that is larger than a typical

basketball court, and shower facilities will be available to accommodate

students after they use the fitness facilities. The facility

will also include space for student rehearsals.

"Student Government [Association] worked hand in hand with

administration to ensure the needs of the students were met,"

said Jonathan Jackson, SGA President.

Jackson is a senior management information systems major

from Charlotte.

The price tag for the new facility is approximately $27 million.

The state picked up a large portion of that cost which reduced

the University's responsibility.

"When giving my advice, I made sure to include current concerns

that we face now in the Thompson Center such as more

food selections and more space and machinery for the fitness center

with longevity on hours for both sites," said Travis McGhee,

vice president of External Affairs.

McGhee is a junior exercise science major from Charlotte.

The offices located in the Thompson Center that will relocate

to the new facility are Campus Life, Student Activities, SGA,

Campus Recreation, Campus Fitness, and the Ram Court.

"The Thompson Center is referred to as a student center, but in

essence it is primarily an administration building," Howard said.

"With that being said, the new center will definitely fill some

voids on campus in terms of campus life. The bookstore will

stay where it is and be expanded, and vacated offices will be

reprogrammed. The Thompson Center will basically function

as it does now with the additions of a few new offices. Kennedy

Dining Hall will stay where it is now. "

Howard said that the projected opening date for the Student

Activity Center will be January 2013.