Workers are still putting the final touches on the interior of the Sonnentag Event Center. (Photo by Tom Giffey)

Summer in the Chippewa Valley is a time of new beginnings, when the pent-up energy of the colder seasons explodes into new growth. Whether its through the bountiful choices at farmers markets or sun-filled days spent outdoors, this energy literally runs through us. It also runs through the community and bursts forth in the form of new projects. That’s the case for UW-Eau Claire’s Sonnentag Event Center, which is expected to be completed in the coming months and will celebrate a grand opening in September. The massive project took far longer than a single season to blossom: In fact, the initial gift from John and Carolyn Sonnentag was announced back in the summer of 2014. Eventually, their gift grew to $70 million, and ground was broken for the project in early 2022.

Now, more than two years later, the Sonnentags’ generosity and the hard work of hundreds of others is finally bearing fruit. In mid-May, a few of us from Volume One were fortunate enough to tour what is collectively known as the County Materials Complex, a public-private partnership which encompasses the Sonnentag Event Center (a 3,200-seat venue replacing Zorn Arena as the home of Blugold basketball), the Sonnentag Fieldhouse (with its 100 yards of artificial turf), a Mayo Clinic Health System Diagnostic Imaging and Sports Medicine Center, and more – all with a beautiful view of the Chippewa River.

Coincidentally, just days later, The Arena League – an upstart indoor football league – announced it’s launching a franchise that will make its home at the Sonnentag Event Center starting in the summer of 2025. That promises to be just the beginning of what’s in store for the facility. And while finishing touches are still underway, it’s clear the complex will be a vital part of the community for many seasons to come.