The Slippery Rock Student Government Association approved to change the name of Robert M. Smith Theatre in the Student Center to the Thunderdome Theater last Monday evening.
Speaker of the Senate and North Hall Senator Michael McCarter, who was speaking on behalf of his North Hall constituents, brought up this motion.
One of McCarter’s constituents, Tommy Senneway, said he has been looking forward to the name change for over a year.
According to Senneway, 19, a sophomore Public Health major, the name ‘Thunderdome’ started as an inside joke with McCarter last year.
“It really got you believing [the Student Center] would be called that,” Senneway said.
Buddy Clements, current Senator and future President of SGA, said he isn’t one hundred percent sure about how it will be seen by students.
“It might be shocking to students,” Clements said. “A lot of students who live in North [Hall] have been jokingly calling it the Thunderdome for a long time.”
If approved by President Cheryl Norton, the name change of the theater will go through.
Senneway said he believes President Norton will approve the change.
“I think we’ve all agreed that it would make a great nickname,” Senneway said.
Christopher Cole, Director of the University Union, said the first time he heard about the name change was from last week’s edition of The Rocket.
“There’s been no discussion with me about it,” Cole said. “I’d not be surprised if the president thought it would be wise to seek opinion from other campus officials.”
Cole said he is unsure of what the process will be, but is willing to partcipate along the way.
“I respect the Student Government Association and their interest with a connection in the Student Center,” said Cole. “I’m willing to hear more about it.”
Clements said he wishes they would have had a student survey before they changed the name, but is happy with the change.
“It passed, and I think it will be fun for the students,” Clements said. “We might get some weird looks from time to time, but it will be all good.”
