Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! Rooms at the McNamara Alumni Center can be rented to anyone, regardless of whether or not they are alumni of the University of Minnesota.

The McNamara Alumni Center has 10 rooms to rent that accommodate as few as 10 people to as many as 800 people. The most common events are conferences, meetings, dinners and wedding receptions. Other events include memorials, graduations, galas, proms, even fashion shows.

University of Minnesota events can book up to 2 years in advance; non-university events can book up to 18 months in advance with the exception of weddings which can book up to 2 years in advance and proms which can book up to 1 year in advance.  

Alumni who graduated from the University of Minnesota do not receive a discount on room rentals at the McNamara Alumni Center unless they are a multi-year or life member of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association.

McNamara Alumni Center extends a discount on room rental for multi-year and life members of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association, a dues-paying membership organization that offers unique benefits and privileges to its members. 

For qualifying events, life members receive 20% off room rental and multi-year members receive 10% off room rental. For wedding packages, life members receive $300-$500 off and multi-year members receive $200-$300 off.  

Yes, anyone can join the University of Minnesota Alumni Association even if you did not go to school here!

The McNamara Alumni Center has two rate structures—University room rates and non-University room rates. A University event is defined as a University of Minnesota entity hosting a University-sponsored event that supports the mission of the institution. A member of the University department is McNamara’s contact who coordinates the event details, signs the contract and pays the invoice. A corporate or private event–even if coordinated by a University alumnus, donor or employee–is charged the non-University rate.

The McNamara Alumni Center has two distinctive areas of the venue that accommodate wedding celebrations for up to 400 people and as few as 50 people. It offers three all-inclusive wedding packages: a Large Wedding Package (up to 400 guests); a Small Wedding Package (up to 120 guests) and a Micro Wedding Package (fewer than 50 guests).

McNamara Alumni Center offers discounts for weddings to University of Minnesota Alumni Association dues-paying members. For wedding packages, life members receive $300-$500 off and multi-year members receive $200-$300 off. 

With every wedding that books, the McNamara Alumni Center offers one of our vacant meeting rooms as a room for the wedding party. For a more upscale room for the wedding party, we recommend the adjacent Graduate by Hilton Minneapolis hotel. They have 2 get-ready rooms equipped with mirrored stations, refrigerators, TV and connections to sleeping rooms.   

D’Amico Hospitality is the exclusive caterer of the McNamara Alumni Center. All food and beverages must be provided by them including alcohol. D’Amico operates a kitchen and offices onsite at the McNamara Alumni Center.  

McNamara Alumni Center is connected by tunnel to the adjacent University Avenue Parking Ramp, however it is not free parking. The venue is conveniently located by several other nearby parking facilities, all operated by University of Minnesota Parking and Transportation Services and charging hourly or event rates. Nearby athletic events, concerts or large public events on campus may impact availability at parking ramps.  

The McNamara Alumni Center is connected by a tunnel and adjacent to the Graduate by Hilton Minneapolis hotel located at 615 Washington Ave. The hotel offers 314 sleeping rooms.

Most of the 10 rooms available to rent at the McNamara Alumni Center have a built-in screen and projector included with the room rental. Larger rooms include a podium, handheld microphone and lavaliere microphone.  

Yes, the McNamara Alumni Center offers streaming services through its vendor partners.  

Metro Transit Buses 2, 113, 114, 115, 465, and 475 stop just outside McNamara Alumni Center at Oak Street and Washington Avenue. Stop ID: 41248 (heading South) and 40278 (heading North). For routes and schedule information, visit www.metrotransit.org.  

All entrances to the McNamara Alumni Center are accessible as well as first floor restrooms and elevators. All rentable event rooms are located on the first floor. Our largest room Memorial Hall has a built-in ramp and railing at the back of the stage.