Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

WIU to Open Digital Rec Center This Fall

  • By Matt Jones
  • 04/07/21

Western Illinois University, located in Macomb, Ill., is set to debut its Digital Rec Center (DiRC) in fall 2021. The center will play home to the university’s eSports team and offer students a space for competitive gaming, console gaming, a virtual reality station, and more. The WIU Foundation purchased the space, formerly Chapman’s Bookstore, in 2019, and renovations have been led by WIU Facilities Management and funded by WIU Auxiliary Services.

“Providing opportunities for our students, in and out of the classroom, is crucial for our students’ success,” said WIU President Guiyou Huang. “The field of eSports has an enormous following and it’s growing every day. Having this new Digital Recreation Center on our Macomb campus—that gives our students another recreational outlet, as well as competition space they can be proud of—provides yet another opportunity for our current and prospective students.”

The eSports market was valued at about $1.08 billion this year, and revenue is on track to reach $1.62 billion by 2024. The DiRC plans to offer competitive gaming opportunities for games like League of Legends and Fortnite, and it will have a “black box” area for WIU student organizations to use for activities and programs.

“I am incredibly excited to have an eSports arena on our campus. Having its own location will help to really give WIU its own image and also provides a whole new place where students can spend their time,” said Ben Hironimus-Wendt, acting president of WIU student organization Western Electronic Gaming Association (WEGA). “This will give students already looking into eSport competitions a way to compete on equal grounds with a computer that rivals my own in performance. This is the right move for the future of competitive Leathernecks, and the right move for WIU.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Utah Valley University Opens New Engineering Building

    Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, recently held a grand-opening ceremony for the new Scott M. Smith Engineering Building, according to a news release. The facility is one of the largest engineering buildings in the state at almost 200,000 square feet, and it plays home to the university’s Smith College of Engineering and Technology (SCET).

  • Pitzer College

    Designing for Change in Higher Ed Learning Environments

    Higher education will continue to evolve, and learning environments must evolve with it. By prioritizing adaptable infrastructure, thoughtful reuse, strong energy performance, and wellness-centered design, campuses can create spaces that support learning today while remaining flexible for the future.

  • Colorado School District Breaks Ground on Unified PK–12 Campus

    The Haxtun School District No. Re-2J in Haxtun, Colo., recently announced that ground has been broken on a renovation/addition project that will unite its two schools, Haxtun Elementary and Haxtun Jr/Sr High School, according to a news release.

  • Philadelphia Middle School Facility Earns LEED Gold Certification

    The Alternative Middle Years (AMY) at James Martin Middle School in Philadelphia, Penn., recently received a LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, according to a news release. The School District of Pennsylvania partnered with KSS Architects on the project.