The Mason School of Business at The College of William & Mary will have a ceremonial groundbreaking for its new building, Alan B. Miller Hall, March 30 at the building site at the intersection of Jamestown Road and Ukrop Way.

The event officially marks the beginning of a new era at the business school –eventually bringing together all faculty, staff and students at the Mason School together under one roof in a state-of-the-art 160,000-square-foot structure. Construction is expected to begin in May. Scheduled to open in the fall of 2009, the building will be a western gateway to the William and Mary campus.

The ceremony which starts at 3:30 p.m. at the Common Glory parking lot will feature remarks from College President Gene Nichol, Business School Dean Lawrence B. Pulley, building namesake Alan B. Miller, and a virtual video tour of the proposed building created especially for this event. The remarks and virtual tour will be followed by the ceremonial groundbreaking, replete with “golden” shovels and hard hats, by key partners of the business school.

The 163,000-plus square foot facility will consist of state-of-the-art facilities for instruction, student activities, faculty offices, visiting scholars, research and other purposes. It will house the undergraduate, Masters of Business Administration (MBA), Masters of Accounting (MAcc), Executive MBA (EMBA) programs, Center for Corporate Education (CCE), and Center for Entrepreneurship.

Miller, a 1958 William and Mary alumnus, is president, chairman of the board, and chief executive officer of Universal Health Services, Inc., which he founded in 1978. Universal Health Services (UHS) is one of the nation's largest and most respected healthcare management companies, operating acute care hospitals, behavioral health facilities and ambulatory centers nationwide.

The groundbreaking will be the culmination of seven years of planning, analysis, and design. It officially marks the next phase for the business school, adding the third element to Dean Lawrence B. Pulley’s vision of the business school as the crossroads of people, programs, and place.

“This remarkable facility will reflect who we are as a business school and enable our efforts to create the next generation of great business leaders,” Pulley.

Following a 24-month construction schedule, the building will open for business in Fall 2009. At the time of move-in the student population is projected to be 625 undergraduates and 410 graduate students.

A public-private partnership, the building will cost a projected $75 million when complete. Nearly $50 million will be sought privately through the Business School Foundation and the additional $25 million will be provided by The College. While a substantial portion of the private funds have been secured, the School continues to seek financial partners in support of the building.

The College will seek Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for the building as part of its commitment to the principle of sustainable design. Building architect is Robert A.M. Stern Architects, LLP, in New York. Stern is known around the world for design achievements in the public and private sectors, and has been an industry leader in the design of buildings that are environmentally sustainable and energy efficient. The firm is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council. For more information on The Mason School of Business and Alan B. Miller Hall, go to http://mason.wm.edu.