Space constraints slow RWEC plans

Grag Hyatt

The fate of a bowling alley, movie theater and swimming pool — all promised features in Sacramento State’s proposed Recreation, Wellness and Events Center — is in question because of construction delays and funding uncertainties.

The three projects will likely be included in the latter two phases of the RWEC construction, which are slated to open in 2010 and 2015. Construction of the proposed bowling alley, movie theater and swimming pool is being delayed because of a lack of space in the planning for the center’s official opening.

The RWEC is scheduled to open its first phase in 2008, and will include an 8,000-seat arena, racquetball courts and six basketball courts.

The two committees currently discussing the plans for the RWEC, which include architects, faculty and students, are determining what activities will have priority.

A survey conducted last year asked students what activities they would like to see the RWEC offer, and students responded that a bowling alley and movie theater were most desired.

The movie theater received the most votes, with 74 percent, and the bowling alley was the second most popular, with 58 percent.

Josh McGee, chairman of the RWEC student advisory committee, said the concern is that other aspects of the RWEC, such as the athletic arena, are taking space away from the recreational options students said they wanted in the survey.

“The goal is that we still have room for it when the RWEC opens,” McGee said. “It is yet to be seen if it’ll be 2010 or 2015.”

Fantasia Stensland, who also sits on the student advisory committee, said there is great concern that funding for the bowling alley, movie theater and pool is not available now, and may not be there during later phases of the RWEC development.

“All three are pushed back to a later phase, and there’s no funding for these later phases,” Stensland said. “They’re prioritizing, but it’s based on whose wants?”

Leslie Davis, director of the University Union and a member of the RWEC planning committee, confirmed that the bowling alley, movie theater and pool would likely be pushed back.

“At this moment we don’t know the timeline,” Davis said. “We are still in the planning stages right now.”

McGee said the student advisory council would still lobby the planning commission to try to get all three projects into the RWEC by its 2008 opening. But he said it looks more likely that it will be 2015 for all three projects.

But McGee added the possibility that the three projects may never get off the ground.

“It all rests on the money,” McGee said. “There’s no guarantee there’s going to be money for the new phases.”

Sac State hired President Alexander Gonzalez’s son, Alex Gonzalez Jr., on Feb. 18 as another fundraiser for the RWEC.

Frank Whitlatch, Sac State spokesman, said the university could not comment on specifics of the RWEC funding because it is still uncertain exactly what will be in the RWEC.

To date, Sac State has raised $10,020,000 for the RWEC, which is projected to cost $120 million.

McGee said specific funding numbers of individual projects, such as the bowling alley, movie theater and pool are not known yet.

“The bowling alley would offset some of its own cost because students would pay for things like shoe rental, food and groups that want to rent it out for events,” McGee said.

Other than those fees, students would not be charged for using the RWEC.

The next RWEC planning committee meeting with the three architects in charge of design will take place April 18, 19 and 20.

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Greg Hyatt can be reached at [email protected]