The lobby at the Hotel at Kirkwood Center

A teaching laboratory for hospitality arts students at Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is now open. More than 300 students in five college credit programs will study in kitchens and classrooms, and work alongside and observe the 70-person staff. “Learning by doing” is core to the curriculum at Kirkwood CC.

The 71-room Hotel at Kirkwood Center has flexible meeting and event facilities, including a ballroom that seats 700, theater-style, and a full-service restaurant. The hotel held a soft opening in July 2010; the grand opening will take place on Wednesday, September 23, 2010.