Lab Director Jonathan Dorfan (left) and Shirley Everett, Stanford Associate Vice Provost of Residential Dining and Residential Services, cut the ceremonial ribbon to commemorate the opening (Photo by Diana Rogers)

By Neil Calder

"SLAC used to stand out as the only big physics lab in the world without accommodations for scientists on site," said SLUO Chairman Eli Rosenberg (Iowa State U), "but now it stands out because it has the best on-site accommodations in the world!"

On June 19 the new SLAC Guest House was officially opened when SLAC Director Jonathan Dorfan and Shirley Everett, Associate Vice Provost of Residential Dining and Residential Services at Stanford University, sliced through the ceremonial ribbon.

The afternoon included speeches by both Dorfan and Everett, as well as representatives of the users organizations, the DOE Stanford Site Office and Stanford.

Guest House management threw open the doors for an Open House. Hundreds of visitors from SLAC and Stanford strolled through the facility looking through the rooms, prodding the beds, even trying out the fitness center. While most of the rooms have a double bed, there are a number of room configurations with slightly different nightly rates. Each room contains an Internet connection, cable TV, dresser, armoire, a desk and chair.

Over 3,000 scientists visit SLAC each year and about 80 percent of the rooms are reserved for them. Stanford has priority access to the remaining rooms.

Construction on the three-story, 112-room Guest House, began in April 2002, and was completed on schedule. Stanford put up the $10.7 million to build the facility and will be repaid from Guest House revenues.

"I really, really liked the Guest House," said Vicky White, visiting from Fermilab. "The whole visit was a delightful experience. Comfort, location and a T1 Internet connection right there in my room!"

For more information on the Guest House or to make a reservation, see: http://www.stanford.edu/dept/hds/SLAC/index.html