The AMS will finalize the two retailers to fill the empty spaces in the Queen’s Centre at a Board of Trustees meeting Friday.

Due to negotiations taking longer than expected, the new retailers will open in March 2012.

“Both contracts are for five-year terms with renewal clauses,” AMS President Morgan Campbell said.

On Sept. 16, the Journal reported that an agreement was finalized in August to put two new services in the spaces in the Student Life Centre in October and December.

The AMS took control of the Student Life Centre (SLC) buildings on May 1 after the Operations and Management agreement received approval from the Board of Trustees.

The SLC is comprised of the JDUC, Grey House, MacGillivray-Brown Hall and portions of the Queen’s Centre not including the Athletics and Recreation Centre.

The services will have no effect on the other food vendors currently offered to students, Campbell, ArtSci ’12 said.

“The Farmer’s Market and other food services will continue to operate as usual,” she said.

Campbell said the two new vendors will fit the mandate of the Queen’s Centre very well. She declined to specify what kind of retailers will move into the Queen’s Centre.

“Both tenants are going to satisfy the AMS’s mission for supporting a healthy student lifestyle,” she said.

AMS vice president of operations Ashley Eagan said taking control of the SLC buildings has been a smooth process for the AMS.

“Now that the AMS manages the space, we are able to actively program activities, performances, fundraisers and give back to students with ease,” Eagan, BFA ’11, said.

In September, the Journal reported that construction on MacGillivray-Brown Hall would be complete by mid-October. Eagan said construction was actually completed during the first week of November.

“Mid-October was our set timeline. Generally during construction or renovation projects you can give or take a few weeks,” she said. “Prior to this year, the gymnasium floor was occupied by permanent cubicles from Student Affairs,” she said.

“In September, we had the cubicles demolished, the floor patched, and then a solid refinishing.”

Eagan said the total cost of renovations for MacGillivray-Brown Hall would come to around $30,000.

“I can confirm that the estimate for the fall term is $12,500 for the floor, $11,500 for the cubicle demolition and $3,200 for the installation of the door,” Eagan said.

Additional costs will be incurred in the winter term, but the project looks to be on par with the budget for the construction.

“The only cost that will be incurred next term for renovations will be $2,275 for the installation of a water fountain and possibly $800 for the renovation of the downstairs bathrooms.”

Eagan said the AMS will be completing the partnership with Athletics and Recreation in December and that the space will be shared come January.

“The gymnasium will be shared between the AMS and Athletics and Recreation to maximize the space to the most student groups possible,” she said.

Since the AMS has taken control of the SLC buildings, the JDUC has been “rejuvenated” at a total cost of $26,000, she said. Sixteen new pieces of lounge furniture in the lower ceilidh have also been added.

“Trees and plant life have been infused throughout the building and a new PA system has been installed, allowing the office to communicate to students throughout the building or [play] music throughout building hours.”

According to the Student Life Centre Constitution portion of the Operations and Management agreement, the Student Life Centre Council was mandated to meet a minimum of five times a year. Eagan said the council has decided to meet more frequently.

“For this year, and I believe for the next two or three, it will be necessary for the SLC Council and the by-law and policy committees to meet once a month in order to ensure a smooth transition,” she said. “We needed to increase the meetings due to the volume of work that needs to be completed during this transitional year of the Student Life Centre from the management of Student Affairs to the AMS.”

There are 16 members who sit on SLC Council, including the dean of student affairs, the AMS and SGPS presidents, an alumni representative and three undergraduate students at large.

At the Mar. 4 and 5 Board of Trustees meeting, it was decided that if the University and the AMS could not reach an agreement on the AMS’ capital contribution to the Queen’s Centre that their control over the SLC buildings would be revoked.

“It is very unlikely that this would happen,” Eagan said.

Eagan could not comment on the AMS’s capital contribution to the Queen’s Centre because resolution talks are still ongoing.