Sonnentag Center's opening week festivities announced

EAU CLAIRE — The Sonnentag Events Center will officially have its ribbon cutting on Sept. 12, but the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is planning a full week of events in connection with the long-awaited opening.

The $122 million facility has been in the works since before the pandemic. The County Materials Complex, named for John and Carolyn Sonnentag and their business, will host Blugold athletics offices, competitions for basketball and volleyball, and has an indoor football field for practices. The center also features a sports medicine facility, a partnership between Mayo Clinics and the university.

The Sonnentags’ gift of $57 million for the facility placed them among the top 50 charitable donors nationally in 2021. But the total amount given for the complex comes to $70 million when prior donations of land and cash are included.

The public can get a first look at the facility on Sept. 9 from 2-6 p.m. when it hosts what the university is calling a “neighborhood open house.” A UW-Eau Claire student open house follows on Sept. 10, with student activities and a comedy show from Brian Regan.

Area first responders are being honored Sept. 11. A formal ceremony is planned from 8:30-10 a.m., followed by another open house from 5-8 p.m.

Sept. 12 sees the grand opening, with the ribbon cutting at 11 a.m. The facility will be open for visitors from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and a concert by Chris Young is slated for 7:30 p.m.

Sports round out the week, with the Blugold volleyball tournament on Friday and Saturday.

The celebrations next month arrive as the facility is being put through its paces with a quieter opening. The goal, according to university officials, was to ensure students would have the opportunity to be on hand for the celebrations.

Construction began in 2022, and the facility boasts several unusual approaches designed to make it more environmentally friendly. First, it’s a former brownfield site, occupying 21 acres. A total of 190 geothermal wells heat and cool the building, while an offsite solar farm delivers power.