Photo by Nick Young, Collin College Photographer
College officials and community leaders cut the ribbon on Collin College’s new conference center building today at a VIP sneak preview at the Central Park Campus in McKinney. The ceremony also marked a significant day in the college’s history, as Sept. 3 was the day the college offered its first classes in 1985.
According to Dr. Bob Collins, who is a founding trustee and chair of the college’s board, “Collin County waited a long time to have its own college, and we are very proud of the powerhouse Collin College is today. This is just the beginning of great things to come.”
The 23,500 square foot conference center is the third major building at the north McKinney campus, and another major building—a health science center—is under construction with opening slated for spring. Although the campus had a small conference facility, the student body outgrew it and needed more space for academic conferences and workshops.
“Collin College creates more than a half billion dollars in economic impact for our local economy every year, and that begins with student success,” said Collin College District President Dr. Neil Matkin. “There is no better investment than higher education, and we are committed to serving all students in every corner of our service area. This conference center will be a great asset for this campus community.”
The conference center can seat up to 1,035 theater-style or 640 at round tables. The conference center can be divided into three breakout rooms, and there are two additional classrooms in the building with a capacity of 35. When the conference center is not scheduled with campus activities, it will be open for bookings from the community.
