Chippewa Valley Times

Activities from Sept. 9-14 will include an open house at the building on Menomonie Street, a salute to first responders, a comedy show by national comedian Brian Regan, a concert by country music star Chris Young, and the new facility’s first intercollegiate athletics competition. Ticket information about the Regan and Young performances is available at sonnentag.com.

While the complex is open now, the September grand opening festivities were scheduled so UW-Eau Claire students would be able to attend, says Kimera Way, president of the Eau Claire Community Complex, the entity that owns the Sonnentag facilities. Blugold student fees are helping to support operations at The Sonnentag.

“Arriving at the grand opening week activities has been a long and interesting journey, so we are very excited to celebrate the completion of this marvelous university and community asset,” Way says. “Our vision is for the Sonnentag project to be a welcoming space where our students and community members will interact and benefit. We are deeply grateful to John and Carolyn Sonnentag for their generosity in bringing this long-held dream to life.”

Construction on the building started in spring 2022 after UW-Eau Claire alumni John and Carolyn Sonnentag donated cash and land valued at $70 million. UW-Eau Claire students, Pablo Foundation, the city of Eau Claire, and Xcel Energy also were either financial or in-kind donors to the project.

During the open houses, community members will be able to tour the 225,900-square-foot complex that includes the Sonnentag Event Center, the John and Carolyn Sonnentag Fieldhouse, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s Center for Health and Wellbeing, and Mayo Clinic Health System Diagnostic Imaging and Sports Medicine Center.

The week’s events include:

Monday, Sept. 9: Neighborhood open house from 2-6 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 10: UW-Eau Claire student open house from 4-7 p.m.; student activities from 5-7 p.m.; comedy show by national act Brian Regan at 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 11: First Responders & Community Day; 9/11 recognition honoring first responders from 8:30-10 a.m.; community open house from 5-8 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 12: Grand opening ceremony and ribbon cutting at 11 a.m.; open house from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; Chris Young concert at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 13: Blugold volleyball tournament from 1-7 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 14: Blugold volleyball tournament from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Visitors will have the opportunity to hear about many green features of the complex constructed on a 21-acre redeveloped brownfield site. These features include a system of 190 vertical geothermal wells that heat and cools the building; a local offsite solar facility that powers the fully electric building; an automated system that provides high-level electrical and mechanical control while tracking performance for adjustments over time; LED lighting throughout; green vehicle parking; electric vehicle charging stations; heavy use of native plantings; and nonirrigated landscape.

Project partners include Blugold Real Estate LLC., Mayo Clinic Health System in Wisconsin., City of Eau Claire., Visit Eau Claire., Pablo Foundation., UW-Eau Claire Foundation., Eau Claire Community Complex Inc., University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.