Saturday, January 15, 2000
XU moves graduation to Firstar
New Cintas Center won't be ready
BY PHILLIP PINA
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Construction delays have prompted Xavier University to move graduation ceremonies from the unfinished Cintas Center to the Firstar Center downtown.
University officials had hoped to complete the $44 million arena and conference center in time for the May 13 commencement. But the building will likely take an additional six weeks to complete, according to the Rev. James E. Hoff, Xavier University president.
“We are very disappointed, especially for the seniors and their parents,” Father Hoff said.
Initial delays pushed back the construction timetable. And even if the school had gotten a temporary permit to hold the ceremony in the center, or finished it days in advance, the building would have been untested, said Kelly Leon, Xavier spokeswoman.
Graduation for the estimated 700 seniors is too special an event to risk having any possible glitches ruin it, Ms. Leon said. Everything from testing the electronics to commencement practice would have been problematic in a construction zone.
Opus North Corp., which is overseeing the center's construction, wants the building to be ready and tested before being used for such a major event, she added. It was the developer's recommendation that graduation be moved.
“We want to be smart, do some run-throughs, get the kinks out, so that all events held inside the Cintas Center are of the highest quality and meet the highest standards,” said Bob Sheeran, Xavier's construction manager. He added that the construction is moving along smoothly.
Xavier has held its graduation in the Firstar Center — previously known as Riverfront Coliseum and the Crown — since 1987.
The Cintas Center will be a multipurpose facility that will include a 10,000-seat arena, a conference center and student dining room. It is expected to be finished and operational by July.
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