June 18 groundbreaking ceremony is rained out, rescheduled for July 2
"Big Dig" becomes "Big Muddy"

June 18, 1998

State Bar President Steve Sorenson braves rain, hail, and 60mph winds to practice for the rescheduled groundbreaking on July 2.

The speakers were scheduled, the food had arrived, the tent was up ... but even the best-laid plans can't contend with 60 mph winds, rain, lightning, and pea-sized hail. On June 18, nature had the last word, leading to the cancellation of the "Big Dig" groundbreaking ceremony for the new Bar Center. While the first ceremony was rained out, enthusiasm over the new, 40,000-square-foot Bar Center hasn't dampened. The groundbreaking has been rescheduled for July 2.

The ceremony, which was to include remarks from Madison Mayor Susan Bauman, Attorney General James Doyle, Lt. Governor Scott McCallum, State Bar President and Facilities Committee Chair Gerald O'Brien and State Bar President Steve Sorenson, was scheduled to start at 2 p.m. Initially, the ceremony was postponed for one half-hour in the hope that the storm would pass. But when it became apparent the storm that was fully saturating Madison wasn't going away any time soon, the "Big Dig" was canceled for the day.

State Bar staff members and guests who were out at the American Center site contended with huge mud puddles and whipping winds as they returned to their cars. President Sorenson joked that the "Big Dig" had turned into "A River Runs Through It."

All Bar members are invited to the rescheduled groundbreaking ceremony on July 2 at 2 p.m. The Bar center is part of the American Center office park near the intersection of highway 151 and I-90/94 on Madison's far northeast side.