Weekend grand opening planned for new Union South

A little more than two years after the old building came down, the new Union South will open its doors officially at noon on Friday, April 15.

The weekend grand-opening celebration includes a formal dedication, various giveaways and a concert in Varsity Hall by of Montreal. Other events include a comedian and live music, films, an art opening, tours of the building and a Badger Bash-like performance by the UW Alumni Band outdoors in the Plaza along with $2 brats.

Kicking off the festivities will be the arrival of a super-sized Terrace Chair from Memorial Union at 11 a.m., followed by the ribbon-cutting at noon. The first 2,000 visitors receive a $5 Wiscard, and the next 1,500 get commemorative key chains as well as free snacks throughout the building. Five of the six new food units will also be open for business.

The formal dedication will be held at 3 p.m. in The Sett featuring Chancellor Biddy Martin, Union Director Mark Guthier, Union President Patrick Callan and others. Following the dedication there will be a Free Art Friday event in The Sett, the first art exhibit opening in Gallery 1308 and films all night long.

The Sett, the technical term for a Badger den, is a three-level entertainment center, featuring bowling, billiards and a climbing wall in the lower level and on the first floor a live performance stage and balcony that also features a huge TV screen for Badger sports. The Sett will host comedian Moshe Kasher followed by DJ Nick Nice on the evening of April 15. There will be free opportunities to try the bowling alley, billiards and climbing wall all weekend.

The 350-seat Marquee, the new home for film on campus, will show movies all weekend and Varsity Hall will host the first major concert in the building, featuring glam rock band of Montreal. Tickets are still available from Campus Arts Ticketing Service, 265-2787.

On April 16, the UW Alumni Band will showcase the Plaza as the home for football tailgating, Varsity Hall will host salsa dancing and The Sett will feature another band as part of LitFest, a weeklong festival coinciding with the new building opening.

April 17 features an arts celebration highlighting artwork in the new building including Percent for Art installations, the stained glass project for the Prairie Fire coffeehouse, the Indigenous Tile Project and the outdoor water feature as well as more films and live music.

For updates and full list of events for the Grand Opening, visit online.

In 2006, students voted to pay to upgrade and renovate Memorial Union and replace the outdated Union South with a new “green” student union that would offer amenities, services and meeting and performance space the original building lacked. About 30,000 students contributed their ideas, time and effort to designing the new Union South either through answering surveys and polls, serving on focus groups or attending open forums or serving on many of the task groups who advised the design committees.