During a pre-construction meeting on Feb. 28, Mississippi State University’s facilities management committee received the green light to proceed with the construction of a new Aramark Fresh Food Company dining facility on the south side of campus.
Aramark is a team of chefs and registered dieticians who create innovative menu items that reflect how students eat on various campuses. It is one of America’s largest employers of dietitians and is currently the only professional services company to become an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Partner.
The new dining facility is set to be located on Bully Boulevard, in place of the current tennis courts in the area.
According to Bill Broyles, vice president of student affairs at MSU, a construction fence was set to be built this week that will go down Bully Boulevard and up to the McCarthy gym.
“It’s about a 16-month construction period, and so it’s anticipated that it will be completed by the end of June in 2015,” Muzzi said. “So for the fall semester of 2015 we will have a brand new dining facility on campus, the Fresh Food Company.”
Broyles said pedestrian traffic located on Bully Boulevard at the light will be detoured to cross at the light at Stone Boulevard.
“If you’re walking from the forestry building or Thompson Hall, Fraternity or Sorority Row, you will have to cross Bully Boulevard right there at Stone and the red light, and then walk up the side walk and get to the green houses and go up that way,” Broyles said. “What we don’t want are students getting into Bully Boulevard and walking down the street.”
Broyles said a small amount of parking will be lost as well due to the new construction.
“Some will have to go into the commuter parking lot at the corner between the tennis courts and Stone. Some of that parking lot will be in the construction zone and the parking lot at the very top behind Cresswell will be in the construction zone,” Broyles said. “So the students who live in Cresswell will probably have to park in the new parking lot behing Hathorn. The students who normally park in the commuter zone will have to find another parking spot. We will lose some parking for a little while during the construction period.”
Raymond Brooks, assistant dean of students, said he has visited several Aramark Fresh Food Company venues located on other college campuses and was impressed with their selections.
“I feel that anytime you are able to provide more variety, healthier choices and better convenience in one package, it’s a no-lose situation,” Brooks said. “The new location should hit all of those out of the park. Not to mention relieving some of the traffic from the other dining options on campus. Hopefully MSU Dining will continue to grow at a rate proportional to our enrollment, which in turn should make the overall dining experience better in all locations.”
Brooks said he looks forward to the completion of the new facility.
“I think the faculty, staff and students are in for a real treat,” he said.
Senior English major, Sarah Sones, said she feels overall the addition of a new cafeteria is a great idea, but has a few problems.
“I think it’s great that you can use block meals in the Perry throughout the day because in the union you have to wait until 4 p.m. or 9 p.m.,” Sones said. “If the new cafeteria is offering the use of block meals as the Perry does then that would be even better.”
Sones said she likes the idea of the new dining facility but bus routes play a factor in her opinion as well.
“If there is another bus route that will stop at the new facility, it irritates me because the busses are already slow,” Sones said.
Taleah Brown, freshman English major, said she feels there are more important things that MSU should focus on repairing or building.
“In my opinion, building a new dining facility is just another tourist attraction and way to make money,” Brown said. 
For more information regarding Aramark Fresh Food Dining facilities, visit www.aramarkhighered.com.