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RELEASED: April 28, 2005

DANVILLE, KY—After two years of construction and renovation, the long-anticipated moment has arrived. Centre College faculty, staff and students toured the new and improved Sutcliffe Hall on Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5:30 p.m.

"We're very pleased at the turn out and interest by the Centre and Danville community," says Brian Chafin, athletic director at Centre. "Both open houses were well attended and we feel very good about the reviews we've received so far. Gina Nicoletti, Rick Fox, Jamey Gay and Sonny Evans just did an outstanding job in making this all happen. In actuality, this has turned out to be the special facility that we all expected."

The multi-million-dollar project expanded, renovated, and unified the main academic facility, Crounse Hall, and athletic/recreation facility, Sutcliffe Hall, to create The College Centre—a state-of-the-art complex in which students will enhance their intellectual, social, spiritual, and physical development. New sections of Crounse, including several classrooms, are already in use.

The new facility includes the James O. Buck Fitness Center, cutting-edge cardiovascular equipment, free weights, a weight-machine circuit, a stretching area, a three-court multi-purpose recreation area, an aerobic studio, racquetball courts, an indoor running/walking track, locker rooms and the Hall of Fame Cafe. Individuals who become members of the fitness center will also have access to an indoor pool located in Boles Natatorium across the street and the tennis courts. Personal training will be available upon request.

Centre students are excited about the new facility and already making plans to take advantage of all it has to offer. Joe Conley, a junior double major in Spanish and government from Paris, Ky., and a member of the Centre football team agrees. "I'm just so enthusiastic about what we've put into this project. I really feel that the addition of this top-notch facility will help the team capture what we're capable of and help propel us to the [SCAC] championship. We have the best athletes, coaches and staff—all we needed was the facility."

Centre students, faculty, and staff have made adjustments during the last 24 months to accommodate the construction, including moving offices and exercise equipment to temporary locations. Faculty members are already enjoying their new offices in Crounse and within a few days Sutcliffe staff will move into their areas.

"I'm really excited about the space and the new offices for the coaches," says Shannon Goodpaster, a junior international studies major from Lexington, Ky., and member of the field hockey team. "They'll be more accessible now."

Other students feel the new facility will be more inviting and encourage all members of the Centre community to enjoy the benefits of exercise.

"It will be good to build a connection between the athletes and non-athletes on campus," says sophomore Abby Smith, an English major from North Brook, Ill. "When athletes work out it can be intimidating. I think the new facility will be a lot more open and encourage non-athletes to work out with friends and get to know others on campus."

Normal operating are Monday-Thursday 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday 1 to 8 p.m.

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Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices. For more, visit http://www.centre.edu/web/elevatorspeech/

For news archives go to http://www.centre.edu/web/news/newsarchive.html.

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