By
Daniel Scarpinato
Arizona Summer Wildcat
Business "booming" in newly-completed east end of union
Reactions have been positive to the new Student Union Memorial Center after opening the new food court July 2, said Nick Adamakis, marketing director for the University of Arizona's newest facility.
"Business has been booming," he said. "We've been very happy with the result."
Adamakis also said the new building has attracted a lot of attention.
"A lot of staff, a lot of people have just been looking around and checking things out," he said.
The main draw of the east end is the new Wildcat Food Court, which features many of the outlets from the old union, including McDonald's, On Deck Deli, Domino's Pizza, and Java Jive.
Also on the main level is Cafˇ Sonora, which opened July 16. The Mexican cafeteria was a trademark of the old union, along with Fiddle Fig, which has since been renamed Cactus Grill and moved to the third level.
Raysenia James, a molecular and cellular biology freshman, thinks the new food court is a major improvement over the old union food services.
"It's a nice change," she said. "I like that there is more variety."
Adam Cahoon, a business sophomore, misses the nostalgic feeling of the old union.
"I got used to the old union," he said. "This is nice, but it's different. It doesn't have that same feeling."
The new east portion, which in addition to the food court houses student services such as the All Aboard Meal Plan, CatCard offices, and FastCopy, is the second major opening in the new union's history.
In March, the UofA Bookstore and Associated Students offices moved to their new location on the north side of the facility.
The food court was scheduled to open around the same time, but construction delays halted those facilities from moving to the new building.
That meant that the demolition of the old building had to be delayed as well.
The opening of the food court represents a major step in the student union project, said Gilbert Davidson, project construction manager, last month in anticipation of the opening.
Adamakis said demolition of the old facility is now well underway.
"The temporary stage has been constructed, the area of the Mall in front of the old union has been gated off, and the old bookstore is nearly demolished," he said.
Both Adamakis and student union director Dan Adams said Orville & Wilbur's, a chicken and salad venue, and Pasta Pronto, an Italian restaurant, will open temporary carts outside the union when school starts.
Adams also said the new union will soon have several new features, like a hair salon, travel agency, and bank.
The $60 million student union project began in Fall 1999 and, despite numerous delays, is scheduled to be entirely completed approximately by next summer.
