No More Fun & Games

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat The Gallagher Theater, which opened nearly 30 years ago, will be replaced by a multi- purpose auditorium under the plans for the new union.

Entertainment may be hard to come by in the Memorial Student Union during the proposed 33-month construction period that would demolish Gallagher Theatre and Sam's Place.

A gaming center and a movie theater substitute are not expected to resurface at the student union until the renovation's final construction phase in 2002, according to the UA's contracting/architecture bid.

MHTN Architects Inc. and Swinerton Walberg Co.'s design and construction proposal boasts "uninterrupted revenue streams" and "basic essential services maintained."

Sneak Preview Tours of the new student union design are available Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 12 p.m. in the Anniversary Lounge. Contstruction Timeline July 1999, Tentative start date December 2000, Phase 1 complete May 2001, Phase 2 complete

However, while UA officials selected the design-build plan largely because of its ability to maintain the union's functions, no decision has yet been made on what services will be available during the construction, a student union official said Friday.

"We'll have to make do with the space we'll have and decide where we can put other programs, and what we can do without," said Dan Adams, student union director, during a tour of the proposed union model.

The UA's selected construction team and proposed design for the new union are awaiting Arizona Board of Regents approval in February, pending completion of a financial plan.

If the plan is approved by regents, two interim buildings will continue operations after the first 16 months of construction - one in the place of Gallagher and another north of the current Associated Students Bookstore.

The ASUA bookstore, the major money maker in the union, will move into the building north of its current location, while food services are expected to move into the new east wing.

Offering about half the space of the current union, the buildings will maintain selected union functions, but others will have to be sacrificed until the new union is complete.

"I think it's a fantastic plan, but it's too bad I'll only see the construction side of it before I graduate," said Sarah Crawford, education junior, after seeing the plan and $25,000 model on display.

Crawford, who expects to graduate before the second phase begins, also expressed disappointment about the loss of the Gallagher wing scheduled for demolition this summer.

"That's too bad, I really enjoyed Gallagher when I was a freshman, but maybe I'll be able to enjoy the new union when I'm an alumni," she said.

The 600-seat Gallagher Theatre, which has sustained itself or made a profit every semester since it opened about 28 years ago, will be replaced by a 350-seat multi-purpose auditorium in the second phase of construction.

"We're looking to continue the same kind of program at Gallagher, but that can change at any time based on profits," Adams said.