All proposals for the new design pavilion project were rejected by facilities planning and management because the bids were too high.

The budget for the Design College facility project is $6.25 million. Kerry Dixon-Fox, architect for facilities planning and management, said the bids were 30 percent off, or about $1.8 million. She said this will push back the start time of the project.

“Right now we are planning on rebidding the project at the end of February, which will put the starting time late spring of ’08 and completion in spring of ’09,” Dixon-Fox said.

Dixon-Fox said changes will have to be made to the design of the pavilion, but the majority of the project will stay the same.

“We’ve been looking at some minor redesign. The major image of the building is not changing; we’re making some changes more on the technical side,” she said, adding that some changes will include materials used in the building.

“There are some changes with mechanical systems, with some of the materials in the building, opening it up to additional suppliers to provide more competition in the materials that are being used to build the building,” Dixon-Fox said.

Dixon-Fox said although changes are being made, the pavilion is still on track to be a Leadership countdown. On Jan. 26, 2008, the brothers will be involved with the philanthropic event Dance Marathon that will help raise money for the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital through Children’s Miracle Network.

While the newly lit lights of the century tree in front of Beardshear Hall shown brightly, members of a chorus group, All in Moderation, led the crowd in carols. While the tunes of “Jingle Bells” and “Frosty the Snowman” filled the ears of those in attendance, Adams said she would enjoy more of a traditional approach to what she said has become an event that doesn’t celebrate the meaning of Christmas.

“I would say, ‘Hey, lets sing Christmas carols,'” Adams said. “We can sing Christmas carols – we’re in the United States of America – we can sing Christmas carols.”

Adams was clear in comparing the memorable illumination ceremonies of yesteryear to the one that took place Wednesday evening.

“It’s like comparing steak to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich,” she said.