The plans for a new dining location on campus will be submitted at the Institution of Higher Learning board meeting later this month.
Bill Broyles, assistant vice president of Student Affairs, said if the plan is approved, the new dining area will open on campus in the fall of 2014 and be similar to a cafeteria-style dining hall.
Broyles said the new dining hall will be part of Fresh Food Co., a brand by Aramark.
“Fresh Food Co. is already on a lot of campuses,” he said. “The University of Alabama, South Alabama, Florida State and several others have had a lot of success with this style of cafeteria.”
The dining hall will feature numerous food stations like Marketplace at Perry, but a major difference will be the way the food is prepared, Broyles said.
“It’s a new concept of a cafeteria,” Broyles said. “It won’t be exactly like Perry because all of the food will be cooked fresh right in front of you. There won’t be a kitchen in the back.”
In addition to serving freshly prepared food, Broyles said the dining hall will feature a student lounge.
 ”We want a place where students can hang out and study or relax between classes,” he said. “What better way to achieve this than to attach a lounge to the dining area?”
Broyles said the lounge will feature a food service outlet, such as a coffee shop or a convenience store.
Courtney Bryant, marketing manager of MSU Dining, said some of the amenities the dining hall may feature include Mongolian grills, brick ovens and rotisseries.
“These details will be carefully worked through once IHL approval is granted,” she said. “Fresh Food Co. dining halls are all unique, and as plans are developed, we will choose offerings that MSU does not currently have.”
Bryant said she expects the dining hall to become a popular spot on campus for students.
“We create all of our dining facilities with hopes that students are comfortable and will enjoy the time they spend there,” Bryant said. “It is our hope that the Fresh Food Co. brings a new, fresh spirit to campus dining as we continue to grow the program at MSU.”
Broyles said the addition of the dining hall is intended to provide students with more dining options. He said the dining hall will not be a replacement for Marketplace at Perry.
“Everyone keeps asking me what will happen to Perry,” he said. “Perry will absolutely stay open. It is an iconic building and will continue to be the centerpiece of dining on campus.
If approved by IHL, the new dining hall will be built where the tennis courts are currently located, Broyles said.
“The campus master plan calls for the tennis courts to be moved to the sports complex on Stone Boulevard,” he said. “We have five courts right now, but there will be six at the sports complex. There will also be access to parking and restrooms, so it will be a better setup for students.”
Tim Muzzi, university architect, said the design of the building is still in the early planning stages, but it will most likely be a one-story building and approximately 30,000 square feet.
“It will hold about 450 students, and the outside of the dining hall will look similar to the style of buildings on the Drill Field,” he said.