The 60,000-sf ICC will feature an 1,100-seat performing artsauditorium, conference rooms, a language laboratory and an artgallery. "This is about enhancing the environment for learning,"the university's director of communications tells GlobeSt.com."It's important to build buildings and make sure your campus isupdated with all the latest equipment." He adds that the culturalcenter will "enrich students' lives and experiences through thegallery, which will house our own art collection."

As schools compete for the top students, the addition of the newICC building has a practical aspect as well. "To attract students,you need to update the campus with new buildings and newtechnology," the spokesperson explains. "Students look at thosethings when they're making decisions about what school they want toattend."

Approximately $19 million of the building's budget will gotowards construction costs. This will be the second buildingSkanska USA does for Lincoln—the company is already building theschool's $40.5 million science building, which broke ground inOctober 2007. That building is scheduled for delivery in thefall.