McNamara Alumni Center

What McNamara Alumni Center does

McNamara Alumni Center is a 230,000+ sq ft event venue and office building on the University of Minnesota's Minneapolis campus, opened in February 2000 and privately owned by the University of Minnesota Foundation and the University of Minnesota Alumni Association. The venue is managed by University Gateway Corporation and operates ten unique meeting and event rooms — three large (Memorial Hall, Johnson Great Room, University Hall), four mid-size (Swain, Ski-U-Mah, Heritage Gallery, The Commons), and three small (Minnesota, Gateway, Big Ten) — all on a single floor, accommodating events from 10 to 800 guests.

The core product is event venue rental, supplemented by built-in AV infrastructure (custom 32,000 lumen laser projectors, integrated screens, microphones, streaming capabilities with Sony PTZ cameras), equipment and décor rentals, wedding packages (Large/Small/Micro tiers from $3,000 to $7,000), AV technician services ($80/hour), and hybrid/streaming packages. Exclusive on-site catering is provided by D'Amico Hospitality, which holds the liquor license and operates an in-house kitchen; D'Amico has won Best Caterer awards from Minnesota Meetings & Events, Twin Cities Business, and Minnesota Bride. The adjacent Graduate by Hilton Minneapolis hotel (304 rooms) and a 500-car parking ramp are tunnel-connected, providing hospitality and parking integration that few competing venues can match.

Revenue is generated through transaction-based room rentals (Non-University rates from $250 to $3,600 base plus hourly extensions), catering via D'Amico (subject to a 25% service charge), equipment rentals, wedding packages, and AV services. Customer segments span corporate meetings, weddings, university departments, nonprofits/associations, social celebrations, Big Ten alumni pregame gatherings, and memorial services — with 500+ university events and ~90,000 visitors annually, plus nearly 1,000 weddings hosted over the venue's 26-year operating history. Distribution is primarily direct (in-house sales team handling phone/email/website inquiries, with 24-hour response SLA) augmented by referral partners (D'Amico, Graduate Hotel, UM Alumni Association) and listing platforms (The Knot, Minnesota Bride). The venue does not disclose financial data publicly, has no venture funding, and operates as a non-profit-aligned institutional asset.

Name

McNamara Alumni Center

Legal name

McNamara Alumni Center

Website

https://mac-events.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

McNamara Alumni Center is a 230,000+ sq ft event venue on the University of Minnesota's Minneapolis campus, operating ten meeting rooms for weddings, conferences, galas, and university events. Privately owned by the UM Foundation and Alumni Association, managed by University Gateway Corporation with exclusive catering by D'Amico Hospitality.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Venue and Conference Center Services

NAICS

Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

University & Academic Conference Venues (THAHAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conference & Convention Center Catering (THAHAKAB)

Keywords

• Event venue rental
• Conference center hosting
• Wedding reception venue
• Meeting room booking
• Corporate event space

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Venue Room Rental: Primary revenue from renting ten unique event rooms for conferences, weddings, galas, meetings, and memorials. Room rental rates vary by room size, day of week, and whether the event qualifies for University or Non-University pricing. Additional hourly charges apply for events exceeding 6 hours or held on weekends/after 6pm.
2. Food and Beverage Catering: D'Amico Hospitality, the exclusive on-site caterer, provides all food and beverage service. All food and beverages are subject to a 25% service charge and applicable sales tax (9.025% on food, 11.525% on liquor). Separate catering contract required from venue contract.
3. Equipment and Décor Rentals: Rentable items include pipe & drape ($100/setup), slate candle centerpieces ($15/holder), geometric centerpieces ($15/holder), uplighting (6 lights $350, 12 lights $500), stage platforms ($50), club chairs ($50 each), portable whiteboards ($25), and various AV equipment rentals (60" LCD flat screen $250, laptop $65, microphones $40, riser $50).
4. AV Technician Services: On-site AV technician available for hire at $80/hour. Technician dedicated to event, responsible for overall facilitation of McNamara-owned AV equipment. For larger productions, primary responsibility is operating sound board.
5. Wedding Packages: All-inclusive wedding packages bundled by zone: Large Wedding Package in Memorial Hall ($6,000-$7,000 depending on day), Small Wedding Package in University Hall ($4,000-$5,000), and Micro Wedding Package ($3,000). Packages include room rental, set-up, coordination, and various amenities.
6. Streaming and Videography Services: McNamara streaming package from $1,100. External partners offer HD camera recording from $780, streaming from $1,300, and full-service video production.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

McNamara Alumni Center rents ten first-floor event rooms (Memorial Hall, Johnson Great Room, University Hall, four mid-size rooms, and three small rooms) on the University of Minnesota campus for conferences, corporate meetings, weddings, galas, and memorial services. Revenue is generated primarily through room rental with tiered University vs. Non-University pricing, all-inclusive wedding packages, AV and streaming services, equipment rentals, and exclusive on-site catering through D'Amico Hospitality. The venue operates turnkey event hosting with built-in custom AV, on-site AV technicians, event coordinators, and adjacent tunnel-connected 500-car parking plus the Graduate by Hilton hotel.

Product overview

McNamara Alumni Center is a premier Minneapolis event venue offering ten unique meeting and event spaces available for rental. The venue operates on a platform model with core room rental products (Memorial Hall, Johnson Great Room, University Hall, and seven additional meeting rooms of varying sizes) supplemented by value-added service packages including wedding packages (Large, Small, and Micro), AV & Technology Services, equipment rentals, conference services, and gala services. The venue is complemented by an exclusive catering partnership with D'Amico Hospitality and partnerships with the adjacent Graduate by Hilton Minneapolis hotel. Spaces accommodate events ranging from 10 to 800 guests for meetings, conferences, weddings, galas, and memorial services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Memorial Hall The largest event space at McNamara Alumni Center, featuring 12,000 square feet with 90-foot ceilings, hemlock wood walls, copper accents, and abundant natural light. Accommodates up to 800 guests for receptions, 500 for theater-style or plated dining, 350 for buffet dining, and 184 classroom-style. Non-University base rental $3,600; University rate $2,300. Includes two 32,000 lumen laser projectors (main screen 18'x10', auxiliary 16'x9'), built-in screens, podiums with microphones, and wireless lapel microphones.
• Johnson Great Room A 2,000 square foot meeting room lined with copper walls and dimensional wood ceiling, featuring a candle-lit fireplace. Offers built-in AV with two-way video and audio conferencing capabilities and a data/video projector. Accommodates up to 180 guests. Non-University $2,000 plus $100/hour beyond 6 hours; University rate $1,300.
• University Hall A 2,060 square foot meeting room with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a landscaped patio, featuring a copper podium and built-in AV. Accommodates up to 180 guests for receptions. Non-University $2,000; University rate $1,300.
• Thomas H. Swain Room A 1,460 square foot mid-size meeting room with copper and wood interiors, built-in AV and buffet. Accommodates up to 112 guests for theater-style events. Non-University $1,200 plus $50/hour beyond 6 hours; University rate $1,000.
• Ski-U-Mah Room A 1,130 square foot centrally-located mid-size meeting room with multiple entrances, 8' x 12' screen, podium with microphone, coat closet, and display ledges. Accommodates up to 100 guests. Non-University $1,000; University rate $800.
• Heritage Gallery A 2,600 square foot multi-media museum honoring University of Minnesota faculty, alumni, and students through interactive kiosks and displays. Accommodates up to 100 guests for receptions. Non-University $1,200; University rate $1,000. Included with Memorial Hall and University Hall weddings.
• The Commons A 1,460 square foot open reception space adjacent to Memorial Hall, designed for conference registration and networking with a built-in screen and projector. Accommodates up to 150 guests. Non-University $450 plus $40/hour beyond 6 hours; University rate $400. Minimum 35 attendees for non-business hours.
• Minnesota Room An 830 square foot small meeting room located just off the elevators, featuring an 80-inch flat screen TV, podium, artwork, and carpet. Accommodates up to 50 guests. Non-University $450; University rate $400 for University Hall/Memorial Hall events, $200 standalone.
• Gateway Room A 425 square foot small meeting room perfect for intimate meetings and conference breakouts, featuring a portable flat screen and whiteboard with flip charts. Accommodates up to 40 guests. Non-University $250 plus $25/hour beyond 6 hours; University rate $200.
• Big Ten Room The smallest meeting room at 300 square feet, featuring 10 high-back adjustable chairs around a conference table. Ideal for prayer room, storage, or VIP green room for large events. Non-University $250; University rate $200.
• Large Wedding Package All-inclusive wedding package in Memorial Hall for up to 400 guests featuring Memorial Hall and the Johnson Great Room for ceremony or additional reception space. Includes 7-hour rental, custom setup, built-in dance floor, ceremony AV, and coordination services. $6,000 Fridays & Sundays; $6,500 Saturdays Nov–March; $7,000 Saturdays Apr–Oct; $500 room flip for ceremonies; $150/hr if guest arrival before 5pm. Includes 2 parking spaces, Heritage Gallery museum access, and house music.
• Small Wedding Package All-inclusive wedding package for up to 120 guests featuring University Hall, Thomas Swain Room, and The Commons, plus access to outdoor patio and water feature. $4,000–$5,000 depending on day, with $300 room flip for ceremonies. Includes 2 parking spaces.
• Micro Wedding Package Intimate wedding package for up to 50 guests featuring University Hall and its adjacent patio, with 3-hour rental and access to outdoor water feature. Available any day, any time of year at $3,000. Saturday must conclude by 1pm. Can only be booked up to 6 months in advance.
• AV & Technology Services Built-in custom AV capabilities including 32,000 lumen laser projectors, wireless microphones, screens, and streaming services. Onsite AV technicians available for hire at $80/hour. McNamara streaming package starts at $1,100; partner HD camera recording from $780, streaming from $1,300. Sony PTZ camera and streaming devices available for rent. Includes building overflow feed system.
• Event Equipment Rentals Rental inventory including pipe and drape ($100/setup), slate candle centerpieces ($15/holder), geometric centerpieces ($15/holder), uplighting (6 lights $350, 12 lights $500), stage platforms ($50), club chairs ($50 each), portable whiteboards ($25), 60" LCD flat screen ($250), laptop ($65), microphones ($40), and riser ($50).
• Conference Hosting Services Full conference hosting capabilities with flexible room configurations for 100–400+ attendees, including breakout rooms, registration space, and catering coordination. Memorial Hall can serve up to 184 classroom-style; combined with breakout rooms across the first floor for multi-track conferences.
• Gala and Fundraiser Hosting Gala and fundraiser hosting with complimentary offerings for non-profits including easels, wooden panels, theatrical draping, meeting rooms for storage, and AV equipment such as a wireless microphone for auctioneers and complimentary second screen.
• Memorial and Celebration of Life Services Memorial and celebration of life hosting with complimentary offerings including private family room, reserved seating, and audio connection for custom playlists. Available at Memorial Hall and University Hall.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average customer service rating of 4.9 out of 5.0 from event clients
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• D'Amico HospitalitycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2000D'Amico Hospitality is the exclusive on-site caterer for all events at McNamara Alumni Center, having been the in-house partner since the building opened in 2000. They operate a full-service kitchen and have on-site sales offices (Suite 035). They hold the liquor license and insurance and are responsible for all food and beverage served. They have won Best Caterer awards from Minnesota Meetings & Events, Twin Cities Business, and Minnesota Bride. D'Amico's Senior Event Planner Anne Bohnsack offices at McNamara.
• Graduate by Hilton MinneapoliscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGraduate by Hilton Minneapolis is connected by tunnel and adjacent to McNamara Alumni Center. Offers 304 sleeping rooms, two presidential suites (one overlooking McNamara), and two get-ready rooms for wedding parties. Hotels are within 5 miles of the center. Connected by skyway to Washington Avenue Parking Ramp with 1,200 spaces. The hotel recommends McNamara for events and offers off-peak discounts for McNamara event clients. Sales contact: Marcy Helgren at [email protected] or 612-362-6630.
• University Gateway CorporationcoreOthersUniversity Gateway Corporation is the management company for the McNamara Alumni Center. All event staff and building management staff are employees of University Gateway Corporation, which is an equal opportunity employer. The company manages both the building tenants (floors 1-6) and the first floor conference center events. Website: universitygatewaycorp.org.
• Recommended Event Vendors NetworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMcNamara maintains a curated network of trusted local vendors familiar with the venue: furniture rental (Après, Event Lab, Festivities, Rudy's Event Rentals), florists (Bachman's, Richfield Flowers, Sadie's Floral), photographers (Craig Bares, Justin Cox, Meagan Elizabeth Photography, Rebecca Slater), DJs/live music (Bluewater Kings Band, Instant Request DJ Entertainment), photo booths (Fotogenic, Time Into Pixels), and event design (BeEvents, Bungalow 6 Design & Events). Many photographers' work is featured on the McNamara website.
• Big Ten Visiting Team Alumni GroupsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMcNamara welcomes alumni groups from Big Ten and visiting universities to hold pre-game gatherings when playing at University of Minnesota athletic venues (Huntington Bank Stadium, Mariucci Arena, Williams Arena). Offers ten rooms of all sizes, game day buffet menus by D'Amico Catering, and proximity across the street to all athletic venues.
• Minnesota Artist Chris WeiseminorOthersSlate candle centerpieces available for rent at McNamara are hand-picked North Shore rocks created by Minnesota artist Chris Weise. Can be placed in Memorial Hall's water feature. $15 per holder, 49 available.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aria Minneapolis: A Minneapolis event venue specializing in weddings, corporate events, and galas with multiple rooms and full-service catering. Directly comparable to McNamara for wedding receptions and corporate events in the Twin Cities market, though smaller scale and without university affiliation or hotel adjacency.
• The Depot Minneapolis: An 1899 historic train depot converted into a Minneapolis hotel and event venue featuring multiple ballrooms, on-site catering, and full-service event coordination. Directly comparable to McNamara in operating a heritage venue in the Minneapolis market with multiple event spaces, weddings, corporate events, and banquets, but without the university affiliation.
• The Marquette Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton: A downtown Minneapolis hotel with extensive meeting and event space, ballrooms, and full-service catering for weddings, corporate meetings, and galas. Comparable to McNamara as a Minneapolis hotel with substantial event hosting, though without university affiliation and primarily serves downtown corporate clients.
• Minneapolis Convention Center: Major downtown Minneapolis convention facility hosting large-scale trade shows, conferences, galas, and meetings. Directly comparable to McNamara as a primary Minneapolis event/conference venue, though larger scale (475,000 sq ft exhibit space) and serves larger convention-style events rather than weddings and smaller meetings.
• Hyatt Regency Minneapolis: A large downtown Minneapolis hotel with over 600 guest rooms and 100,000+ sq ft of event space, hosting conventions, weddings, and corporate meetings. Comparable to McNamara in operating major Minneapolis event space, though much larger in scale and lacking the university affiliation that drives McNamara's brand differentiation.
• The Saint Paul Hotel: A historic luxury Twin Cities hotel with 254 guest rooms, multiple ballrooms, and full-service event hosting including weddings, galas, and corporate meetings. Directly comparable to McNamara in combining hotel accommodations with multiple event spaces in the Twin Cities market, though lacking university affiliation.
• Indiana Memorial Union: Indiana University's student union and event center featuring multiple ballrooms, meeting rooms, lodging, and banquet facilities. Highly comparable to McNamara as a university-affiliated multi-room event venue hosting weddings, conferences, and university events, though operated by the university itself rather than a separate management company.

Broad incumbents

• Omni Hotels & Resorts: A U.S.-focused luxury hotel chain with significant meeting, wedding, and conference facilities across major markets. Comparable to McNamara in the convention-hotel-event venue model, but operates at multi-property national scale rather than as a single university-affiliated venue.
• Graduate Hotels: A collection brand of hotels located in university markets across the U.S., including the adjacent Graduate Minneapolis. Comparable to McNamara through the tunnel-connected hotel partnership and shared university-market positioning, but operates as a multi-property hotel chain rather than a single event venue.
• Hilton Hotels & Resorts: A global hotel chain operating the Graduate brand and offering meeting/conference facilities across thousands of properties. Comparable to McNamara through the tunnel-connected Graduate by Hilton partnership and the broader corporate event/conference hosting model, but operates as a global chain rather than a single venue.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/mcnamaraevents
• Facebookfacebook.com/mcnamaraevents
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mcnamara-alumni-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about McNamara Alumni Center