Not many people complain about LSU's Recreational Center. Located conveniently behind Miller Hall and just off the campus lake, it is easily accessible for every LSU student. That is, if every LSU Student lived on the east side of campus.

     This past summer, construction began to create a complex to accommodate those who can't walk out their front door and find themselves on the east side of campus, namely those unfortunate souls who live on the west side of campus.

	Above: At the new rec's ground-breaking ceremony, some old rich people got to hold shovels and pretend to dig.

     When designing the new Recreational Complex, builders first looked at the old rec center and molded their plans so as to improve on what it was lacking. Their initial observation was that there were only two ping-pong tables in the whole complex.

     "We have about 487 Asians at this university. Can all 487 of them play ping-pong at once on those two tables. It's possible, yeah, but I doubt it," senior Rec Center  Chancellor Dan Fogel said.

    This is not a problem in the new complex, which has a whopping 150 ping-pong tables in the state-of-the-art Ping-Pong Super Zone. The next order of business was the ability of bicycle exercises at the Rec.

    "Sure, there are those bike machines that don't move anywhere, but where does that get you? Nowhere. And those bike paths on the lakes, well, there are no lakes on the west side of campus," Fogel later said.

    This is why the new "west-side Rec" devotes 60% of its size to a $22 million indoor bicycle track that will allow up to 12 hearty cyclers to pedal themselves into fitness.

	Above: An artist's rendering of the new rec, which will not look anything like this because that artist never even looked at the architect's plans.

    Other additions are the Jump Rope for Heart Zone, 24-hour Sweatin' to the Oldies Zone, and a whole host of machines that offer Rec customers a zesty treat in the middle of an intense workout, though these machines won't offer such fatty snacks like the ones in the original Rec Center. Instead, customers can choose from a variety of healthier foods like mashed potatoes, PBJ sandwiches, Beefaroni in a Cup, and homemade S'mores. Also, unlike the East Rec, which has a stuffy wooden sauna (which can be a little too hot for comfort), the West Rec will have air-conditioned saunas, complete with bean bag chairs and volleyball nets.

     One more minor difference to the East Rec Center will be a 10 dollar charge to anyone who enters the facilty. Administrators say this is because "the students demand quality, and we give it to them. Not without a price though.

      "Any student who steps foot in OUR Rec Center will no doubt notice a dominating difference and surrender their money immediately."

      Students who spend more time at the Rec Center than normal can choose the second payment option, which is payment per set. You simply put a quarter in every machine that you wish you use. Some machines with a higher usage rates like the Ab Machine upstairs will charge 50 cents per rep.