A groundbreaking ceremony for the new auditorium and Hyrum Manwaring Student Center expansion projects at Brigham Young University-Idaho will be held Tuesday, October 31 immediately after the university's regularly scheduled 2 p.m. devotional. 

Elder David A. Bednar, member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and former president of BYU-Idaho, will be the devotional speaker.  Members of the community can participate by listening to a live broadcast of the devotional on KBYI-FM 100.5.

The new auditorium and Manwaring Center expansion represent the culmination of plans outlined during the transition from Ricks College to BYU-Idaho.  The construction projects address two primary areas of university needs: facilities where students can gather together as well as build and inspire one another, and critically needed space for the Activities Program.

Each building project has been closely coordinated with and approved by the BYU-Idaho Board of Trustees.  The university has also consulted with the City of Rexburg since the conception of the buildings and will continue to work closely with city officials in an effort to comply with building, parking, and zoning ordinances.

The auditorium will be constructed on land immediately south of the John W. Hart Physical Education Building. The auditorium, with at least 12,000 seats, will primarily serve university needs, such as weekly campus devotionals, commencement ceremonies, and a variety of Activities Program events. The building will also include a number of multi-use areas that will serve the needs of the Activities Program for sports, recreational, and social activities.  The multi-use areas will provide space for various Academic needs as well.

Renovation and expansion work will take place on the Manwaring Center. The expansion will be constructed on the building's north side, with an enclosed pedestrian connection to the neighboring David O. McKay Library.  The Manwaring Center was completed in 1966 and named in honor of Ricks College's eighth president.  The building houses a number of campus services, including the University Bookstore, Food Services, and various functions of the Activities Program.