Grand opening for student union at UIS set for mid-January

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Officials say the student union at the University of Illinois in Springfield will open in January after a $21.7 million construction project.

The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports there's still work to be done on the 50,000-square-foot facility on campus, including landscaping, decor and furnishings.

The union's executive director, Ann Comerford, says Jan. 14 is the projected grand opening. Interviews have started for the approximately two dozen student workers that'll be needed.

Comerford calls it a "community hub" for campus where students can eat and attend events.

The groundbreaking for the project was in May of 2016. The project is being paid for by fee increases approved in 2012, other funds and an ongoing fundraising campaign.

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Information from: The State Journal-Register, http://www.sj-r.com