The University of Denver's hotel school opened a new $18-million, state-of-the-art learning center in mid-May. The three-story, 46,000-square-foot facility will also serve as a conference center and event venue for the university and the local community.

Peter Rainsford, director of the university's Daniels College of Business School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management, calls the new building a “management laboratory” because, unlike some culinary arts or lodging training schools, the program is fully integrated into the business college and its curriculum. Also, each course in the hotel school will be involved in some way in the hands-on operation of the building.

“By involving students in the operational and management aspects of the building, we're using food and beverage operations as the vehicle to teach solid management skills,” says Rainsford.

The building includes a full production kitchen, a beverage management center, three executive education rooms, two seminar rooms, several breakout rooms, a front desk operations center and offices.