Convocation Center opens in grand style

by Mark McGowan

NIU's new Convocation Center sprung to life last week with a quartet of events tailored to introduce the arena to students, faculty and the community. President John Peters opened the doors Tuesday night for his "President's Preview," an evening for hundreds of university and community leaders to explore the 215,000-square-foot arena and sample food from the concession stands.

NIU President John Peters greets (from left) Rod Angotti, chair of computer science, Janet Kitterle and Fred Kitterle, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, at Tuesday night's "President's Preview" of the new Convocation Center.

Visitors also enjoyed a four-minute video about the Convocation Center and heard words from Peters and other speakers, including Manny Sanchez, chair of the Board of Trustees; Eddie R. Williams, executive vice president for business and finance and chief of operations; NIU Athletic Director Cary Groth; Convocation Center Director John A. Gordon, and Student Association President Kevin Miller.

"I've seen what a facility like this can mean to a university and to its community," Peters said.

"I've seen arenas like this one inject tremendous pride into a campus and its host city. I've seen students plan their free time around the many options presented by a large-scale entertainment venue like this one. I've seen new businesses sprout up around convocation centers, and existing businesses enhanced by a steady flow of new customers," he continued. "I've seen all those things, and I have every reason to believe that we'll see the same benefits here at NIU."

"For me, as a former student and a proud alum, the decision to build this facility was absolutely heartfelt. It was about a greater good," Sanchez said. "Our students deserve the best experience they can have here, and many of those experiences depend on having top-notch facilities."

Students were the focus Thursday, when thousands of new freshmen and their families poured into the arena for the annual Huskie Bash, the welcome-to-school party that caps Move-In Day.

Traditionally held outside, the Bash moved indoors this year to offer students a first look at the Convocation Center. President Peters officially declared the center open as bunches of balloons dropped from the ceiling.

Friday night brought legendary entertainer Bill Cosby to christen the arena as its first event. On Sunday, the doors swung open again to greet returning students and members of the community during a six-hour public open house.

Construction of the $36 million multi-purpose facility began in October of 2000.

The Convocation Center sits on a 52-acre parcel that also boasts 3,000 parking spaces. The arena has up to 10,000 seats, an eight-sided video score board, a 200-meter track and an auxiliary gym with bleacher seating for 800.

Events will include concerts, family-oriented programming and trade exhibitions, such as farm shows, RV and boat shows and home and garden shows. Mike and Joe, a popular rock band on the Midwestern college circuit, will play Tuesday at the Welcome Back Concert. Tickets are $5.50 for NIU students and $7.50 for everyone else. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

The Convocation Center also will feature sports, including NIU Huskies basketball (both the men's and the women's teams begin play the weekend of Nov. 22). Athletes will enjoy the arena's six locker rooms, state-of-the-art athletic training facilities and practice gyms.

Lovers of modern rock are eager for Wednesday, Sept. 25, when Counting Crows and Dishwalla perform. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Reserved seats cost $27.50.

"Counting Crows are not only a great national act that appeal to many people, but they appeal to our student body," said Joe Coots, director of marketing and corporate sales for the Convocation Center, "and that's a group of people we always hope to appeal to."

Touring in support of their widely praised fourth album, "Hard Candy," the Counting Crows are promoting the single "American Girls." The band is best-known for its 1994 smash hit, "Mr. Jones."

Tickets for the Counting Crows, and other events at the Convocation Center, are now available at the arena's box office.

Since June 28, tickets for Convocation Center events had been sold locally at Castle Bank. Tickets also are available through Ticketmaster outlets, by calling (312) 559-1212 or visiting www.ticketmaster.com online, but shopping at the Convocation Center box office avoids the small Ticketmaster surcharge.

Box office hours at the Convocation Center are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The box office is inside Entrance 2 on the northeast side of the building. Tickets for many NIU Huskies athletics competitions, including men's and women's basketball, volleyball and wrestling, are sold exclusively at the box office.

More information on the Convocation Center, and updates on upcoming events, are available online at www.convocenter.niu.edu or by calling 752-6800.