UpDate - Vol. 11, No. 15, Page 5
December 19, 1991
Blue Hen Sports Lounge popular student escape

     The Blue Hen Sports Lounge, located in the basement of the
Perkins Student Center, offers a refuge for sports fanatics who
want to watch their favorite teams.
     The lounge features two television sets (always tuned to
sporting events), as well as billiards, sports-oriented video games
and a small snack bar.
     Designed by Chris Murphy, assistant director of the Perkins
Student Center, and Barrett Lewis, building supervisor, the lounge
was formerly a game room.
     "The old room had a '60s or '70s essence to it. The overall
thrust was to utilize the space in a way that was more
contemporary," Lewis said.
     The lounge is "a place for social interaction and a place to
get rid of some of the stress that comes with college life," he
added.
     Since the remodeling of the room, which took place over the
summer, the use of the facilities has increased substantially,
Murphy said.
     "It's been an overall great success," he added.
     The idea for the lounge, Lewis explained, was a take-off of
the current popularity of sports bars. "Sports bars are apparently
one of the hottest social environments around. Our lounge is
essentially a sports bar, but without liquor," he said.
     An added touch to the overall sports motif of the lounge will
be a collage of black-and-white photographs featuring Delaware
athletes in action. Pictures for the collage are in the process of
being collected, with the help of Review photographers.
     "It will be a nice U. of D. touch," Murphy said. "It will make
the wall come alive."
     Murphy and Lewis have spearheaded two promotional events to
advertise the lounge. Free billiards were offered during the first
weekend of the semester and during the World Series. Both
promotions were very successful.
     His goal is to promote the lounge as a total social
environment, Lewis said.
     The Blue Hen Sports Lounge, open from noon until 11 p.m.,
seven days a week, is located in the basement of the Perkins
Student Center, behind the computing site.
                                        - Denise Arroyo