E-Level in Levering Union will re-open as a student-run restaurant, lounge and game room this Friday. New services and amenities include a menu of snack foods and drinks, five satellite televisions, a pool table and four game stations, including two Sony PlayStations and two Sony X Boxes.
"This is a place of chill. It's a real student lounge," said Rodney Burris, the student manager of E-Level. "This is step one in rebuilding Levering and making it a student union again."
Students will be able to use the game stations and the pool table by showing their JCard to a student monitor. Complementing the free games is low-priced food that Burris feels will be popular with students.
The menu selection includes onion rings, mozzarella sticks, chicken tenders, french fries, eggrolls, funnel cakes, nachos and pretzels. The drink selection includes a variety of Mistic fruit juices, Arizona iced tea, bottled water and coffee. Nothing on the menu is more than $3. "We're trying to provide lower prices than other places on campus," said William Clem, Assistant Director of Levering Union.
Meal equivilency is not currently available, but E-Level organizers do not believe this will stop underclassmen from wanting to spend time in the revamped space.
Clem, who spearheaded the initiative to reopen Levering with the Office of the Dean of Student Life, says that E-level is just the beginning of changes to come in Levering.
"Dean Boswell gave us the okay on E-Level about two months ago," said Clem.
"We're trying to make this a hang-out spot on campus. We just need students to come by. Once we get them here, we can provide more things," he said, noting that televisions have already been placed in the lobby of Levering to create a lounge atmosphere.
E-Level will be open seven days a week from noon to midnight and will remain open until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. Food service will begin at 2 p.m., which is when Levering Market closes.
Friday's grand opening will begin at 4 p.m. and will feature music by DJ Vibe.
E-Level was previously used as a restaurant and bar until it was shut down nearly two years ago due to underage drinking violations.
