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Phil Scherer | Reporter
August 22, 2016; 1:30 p.m.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the Spellmann Center to mark the grand opening of the newly-renovated Spellmann dining hall Monday morning, featuring the national brands Qdoba, Chick-fil-A and Caribou Coffee.

Lindenwood President Michael Shonrock, LSGA President Regan Cole, Vice President of Student Development Ryan Guffey and Britt Hunt, the president and CEO of Pedestal Foods were on hand to speak at the ceremony. More than 80 people attended the event.

Shonrock said that his goal in opening the new cafeteria is to make it a special dinning experience, both for the students and the faculty.

“We are excited, today, to turn the vision into a reality,” Shonrock said.

He also added, “If you ever want to see what $4 million looks like, you’re walking through some of it right now.”

Hunt spoke about how much of an honor it was for Pedestal Foods to be a part of this project, and that he is excited that Shonrock is so enthusiastic about providing a quality experience for the students at Lindenwood.

“Thank you to all of the national brands for believing in our vision and helping this to come about,” Hunt said.

Following the ceremony, all four of speakers took part in a ceremonial first-bite at Chick-fil-A, accompanied by the restaurant’s mascot.