NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University will host a grand opening and ribbon cutting for the new Esports venue Friday, March 19.  The open house will be from 10 a.m.-noon with the ribbon cutting at 10:30 a.m.  The facility is located in Room 122 of the Sylvan Friedman Student Union, formerly the campus bookstore.

The public is invited to join the event to tour the facility, play games and learn about NSU Esports.

The NSU Esports arena is home to one of the largest gaming experiences in the state. The 3,500 square-foot lounge holds 24 fully-equipped computers, multiple consoles and plenty of room for students to dive headfirst into a wide array of gaming worlds. The space is designed with the students in mind and made for both competitive and recreational gaming.

Chance Creppel, coordinator of competitive sports and long-time gamer, heads up the competitive side of the program, coordinating competitions for the NSU teams and the tournaments that will be held on campus in the near future.

NSU is one of the newest members of the National Association of College Esports, a nonprofit association that has award $15 million in scholarships and aid since its formation in July 2016. With the new facility and ever-growing interest from students, NSU stands to be a contender in tournaments right away.