A weeklong grand opening celebration is planned around the Sept. 12 ribbon-cutting ceremony for The Sonnentag, the $122 million facility that is the largest indoor event venue in northwest Wisconsin and home to University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Blugold athletics.
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 are available at the 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.
The 225,900-square-foot complex includes the Sonnentag Event Center, the John and Carolyn Sonnentag Fieldhouse, the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s Center for Health and Wellbeing, and the Mayo Clinic Health System Diagnostic Imaging and Sports Medicine Center.
Visitors will have the opportunity hear about the many green features of the complex constructed on a 21-acre redeveloped brownfield site, including a system of 190 vertical geothermal wells that heat and cool the building; a local offsite solar facility that powers the fully electric building; an automated system that provides a high level of electrical and mechanical control, tracking performance to adjust and improve over time; LED lighting throughout the facility; green vehicle parking and electric vehicle charging stations; and heavy use of native plantings and nonirrigated landscape.
Project partners include Blugold Real Estate, Mayo Clinic Health System in Wisconsin, city of Eau Claire, Visit Eau Claire, Pablo Foundation, UW-Eau Claire Foundation, Eau Claire Community Complex and UW-Eau Claire.
The week’s events include:
- Monday, Sept. 9: Neighborhood open house, 2-6 p.m.
- Tuesday, Sept. 10: UW-Eau Claire student open house, 4-7 p.m.; student activities, 5-7 p.m.; comedy show by national act Brian Regan, 8 p.m.
- Wednesday, Sept. 11: First Responders & Community Day; 9/11 recognition honoring first responders that includes a 21-gun salute, 8:30-10 a.m.; community open house, 5-8 p.m.
- Thursday, Sept. 12: Grand opening ceremony and ribbon cutting, 11 a.m.; open house, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; Chris Young concert, 7:30 p.m.
- Friday, Sept. 13: Sandy Schumacher Memorial volleyball tournament, 1-7 p.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 14: Sandy Schumacher Memorial volleyball tournament, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
