p. p. p. Groundbreaking ceremonies were held Sept. 6 for the University of Notre Dame’s new Marie P. DeBartolo Center for the Performing Arts.p. Ceremonies began with a Mass in the chapel of Notre Dame’s Coleman Family Center for Campus Ministry, followed by a blessing and groundbreaking at the center’s future site on the south side of campus. Notre Dame’s president, Rev. Edward A. Malloy, C.S.C., presided at the Mass and groundbreaking.p. The 123,000-square-foot center will cost in excess of $50 million and has been underwritten with a portion of a $33-million gift to Notre Dame in 1989 from the late Edward J. DeBartolo, a 1932 Notre Dame graduate, in honor of his wife, Marie.p. The DeBartolos’ children, Edward, Jr., and Denise DeBartolo York, attended the groundbreaking, as did South Bend civic leader and philanthropist Judd Leighton and Notre Dame Trustee Arthur J. Decio and his wife, Patricia.p. Leighton is underwriting the center’s 900-seat concert hall, which will be named for him and his late wife, Mary Lou. Decio, who is chairman of the board of Skyline Corporation, a leading U.S. producer of manufactured housing and recreational vehicles, is underwriting the center’s 350-seat main theatre, which, in his wife’s honor, will be named the Patricia George Decio Drama Theatre. The drama theatre naming was announced as a surprise gift to Mrs. Decio at the luncheon following the groundbreaking.p. Television personality and Notre Dame graduate Regis Philbin also attended the ceremonies. Philbin has made a $2.75-million contribution to the project to create the Regis Philbin Studio Theatre.p. The DeBartolo Center for the Performing Arts also will house Notre Dame’s Department of Film, Television and Theatre, a 200-seat cinema theatre and a 100-seat organ and chorale hall. Construction of the center is expected to begin later this year and to be completed in 2004.
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