Late Nite Binghamton saw its first serious spike in attendance all semester this weekend, according to staff members.
“On Friday we had more than 200 people. The next day we had 150 people for Texas Hold’em, and 150 people for the ice skating,” said Eileen Lee, coordinator of Late Nite entertainment. “This weekend was our best weekend. The programming board was really strong.”
Last week, Late Nite moved into the food court in the New University Union. According to Andrea Cronkrite, coordinator of Late Nite, lack of space has been the reason for dropping attendance at Late Nite events.
“It was just this year we’ve been affected by the space problems,” Cronkrite said. “Back then, we were used to the hundreds … 200 people or more. Now, we would be happy to get up to 50 attendees.”
Ismael Peguero, an undeclared freshman, said there were, at most, nine students watching a movie at Late Nite earlier this semester.
Cronkrite said Late Nite has had to adapt because of Old University Union renovations. According to Cronkrite, they have had to hold programs in residence halls and cut back events to just Friday and Saturday, and have had to drop Thursday nights.
“It’s just because of space,” she said. “We’re probably going to be in the food court for the rest of the semester.”
The lack of space pushed the Late Nite programmers to design innovative new programs, Lee said.
“We had difficulties with space. We needed quality events,” she said.
On Saturday, Late Nite hosted ice skating in the Susquehanna Room. Students were given free tickets and free skate rentals. This weekend, a BU professor will speak in the food court about haunted house investigations and UFOs.
According to Lee, Late Nite staff hadn’t known they could hold programs in residence halls until the renovations began. Though events have been held in the halls, Lee said the most successful events have still been in the Union.
However, Lee said the lack of space in the Old Union — specifically, the Undergrounds — made it difficult to program bands.
“Right now, I think they are practicing in the food court,” Lee said.
Lee said she wants to “bring back the club type of feel” to Late Nite.
According to James Koval, University Union director, renovations of the Old Union will include new lights, a sturdier ceiling, a new stage and spatial rearrangements.
Cronkrite said the renovations will provide direct access to bathrooms from the Undergrounds, and that there will also be an extra set of doors, making the area more accessible.
According to Cronkrite, staff expects Late Nite to be back in the Old Union Undergrounds when everyone returns for the fall semester.
For more information about Late Nite, check out latenite.binghamton.edu.