Several government and community leaders will join UNLV faculty and staff for a formal dedication of the new Lynn Bennett Early Childhood Education Center on Feb. 10 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the courtyard of the new facility.

The event will include a reception and tours of the nearly 21,000-square-foot facility, which is located at the corner of Flamingo Access Road and Cottage Grove Avenue on the northwest side of the UNLV campus.

"We're extremely proud of this new facility because it accommodates the educational needs of our students and better serves the practical needs of our community as well," said UNLV President Carol C. Harter. "It is an especially fitting tribute to Lynn Bennett and her late husband, William, who together dedicated so much of their time and resources over the years to the betterment of children's lives. We are deeply indebted to them for their generosity."

The center was constructed at a cost of $5.8 million and was funded chiefly by a $5 million donation from the Bennetts, and other donations, including one from Dr. Joseph and Joan Lapan.

"This new facility is an investment in Las Vegas' most precious resource - its children," said Lynn Bennett. "Not only does it provide a safe, nurturing, and educational environment for our kids, but it is also a state-of-the-art facility where the future educators and caregivers of our children will be trained. As a longtime Las Vegan, I'm happy to have had the opportunity to be a part of this project."

The facility, which was designed by local architect Eric Strain of Assemblage Studios and built by Isaac Building and Design Co. Inc., was planned around the concept of a village and includes six buildings that open out on to a central playground area. In all, the center has 10 regular classrooms, two observation classrooms for research, a multipurpose room, administrative offices, and a family resource room.

Among the center's many amenities are computer access in nearly every classroom, a remote audiovisual observation system for research purposes, and landscaping that will be used to enhance the children's learning experiences.

Gene Hall, dean of UNLV's College of Education, said the new facility provides much more than just an innovative new space for early childhood education. "For me, this center represents a rare and special opportunity," Hall said. "Our program already has a solid track record of providing an outstanding educational experience for the community's youngsters, but with this outstanding new facility we have sets our sights even higher."

The UNLV/CSUN preschool officially opened Jan. 20 and is currently serving 250 families with children ranging from six weeks to five years in age. The previous facility, which was housed in the Carlson Education Building, was not equipped to handle children younger than 12 months.

"The two new infant rooms provide a welcome choice for working families and students who, prior to the new center, had a difficult time finding facilities that could accommodate their needs," said Dr. Joseph Lapan, a retired pediatrician and one of the main donors to the project. "I'm proud to have been able to contribute to making this center such a great facility."

The Lynn Bennett Early Childhood Education Center is fully accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and is licensed by the State of Nevada Department of Human Resources, Division of Child and Family Services, Bureau of Services for Child Care.