As students flock to the new fast food restaurants in the Leavey Center’s Hoya Court, officials say negotiations over the fate of the former Darnall Hall cafeteria are progressing and that a number of plans remain under consideration, including the possiblity of a Corp-operated restaurant.

According to Eamonn Carr (COL ’06), GUSA secretary of housing and facilities, the final bidding process for vendors will take place at the end of October and a final decision will be made by the end of the first semester.

Carr did not specify when the university will reopen Darnall, but he said that officials hope to do so at some point during the second semester.

“That’s been our goal from the start,” he said.

Neither Carr nor student association President Pravin Rajan (SFS ’07) would disclose a full list of candidate vendors, saying that the university is bound to confidentiality agreements during contractual negotiations.

“We have to live with the realities of the university as an organization that must adhere to business law,” Rajan said. “Legally speaking, there is no other way of making sure we are able to represent students’ interests.”

Still, he did acknowledge that a T.G.I. Friday’s and a food court similar to the new Hoya Court containing several brand-name vendors are among the options under consideration.

While university officials have said in the past that students wanted a brand-name restaurant in the Darnall space, officials at the Corp said that they are also interested in opening a restaurant and bar in the space.

Adam Giblin (SFS ’06), who sits on the board of directors for both the Corp and THE HOYA, said that the Corp has entertained the idea of opening a restaurant and bar since it was approached by the university following the closure of the New South cafeteria in the spring of 2003, but that plans to renovate that space never got off the ground.

He said that the Corp has no current plans to submit a proposal for the university’s consideration, but he added that it has not been ruled out.

GUSA officials say that all possibilities, including that of a Corp-operated establishment, will receive equal attention.

“Any and all bids will be given equal consideration for the space in Darnall Hall,” Carr said.

But Giblin said that the university never approached the Corp after the closure of Darnall and that the organization has not been involved in current negotiations.

“We haven’t had the opportunity to understand what is available,” he said.

Giblin also said that while GUSA officials believe that students would like to see a brand-name restaurant in Darnall, many students would actually like to see what the Corp could offer for the space.

Though he acknowledged that the Corp would probably be unable to open a new establishment in Darnall during the second semester, he said that a Corp-operated restaurant in the near future was feasible, noting that the Corp has over a million dollars in capital to expend.

“If there’s anyone on campus that knows about retail establishments, it’s us,” Giblin said.

Amidst the negotiations, university and GUSA officials are also exploring the possibility of expanding student meal plan access to Hoya Court and the new vendor in Darnall.

With the closure of the Darnall cafeteria, the Leo J. O’Donovan, S.J., Dining Hall is currently the only venue on campus where students may use their meal plans. The additional student traffic that has resulted has not escaped the notice of students who dine at Leo’s regularly.

“There are hardly ever full tables available,” said Rachel Wynn (NHS ’08).

Other students said that they miss Darnall’s convenient location and more comfortable atmosphere.

“It was very cozy with R & B music playing in the background,” Lee Levkowitz (COL ’08) said, adding that the employees would often sing along.

Rajan agreed that the added stress on Leo’s has been “unfortunate,” but said that the attraction of new vendors to campus in Hoya Court and Darnall has caused Leo’s to improve the quality of its services this year.

He added that allowing students to use their meal plans at an expanded variety of locations would give them more of an incentive to use university dining services.