MURRAY — It's the college that never was.
The sign at 4998 S. 360 West has read Salt Lake Valley College since last February.
You may remember that address as the Fun Dome in Murray.
This week, it's called the Salt Lake Pavilion.
What happened to the college?
"It never really was," said Rich Anderson, operations manager for the new incarnation of Fun Dome.
Some students were taking real estate courses, but they have been transferred to another school.
As for students who were supposed to sign up for courses in graphic design, computers, art and paralegal, "We didn't take a dime," Anderson said.
So far, the state Division of Consumer Protection hasn't had any complaints about the converted college. SLVC was bonded and in compliance with the law.
"They did all the right things," said division director Francine Giani. "We think the students will be taken care of."
She has not heard of any consumer complaints about SLVC. If any complaints do pop up, the school's bond would be used to at least partially reimburse a student or pay for a portion of that person's schooling elsewhere.
Giani's offices received a letter from the school within the past week that announced plans to close. From that point, school officials have 30 days to report back to the state with a list of students and how those people will be made whole.
"That's what we're waiting for," Giani said. "If everyone is satisfied, then we are satisfied."
Anderson said that most of the staff of about 60 are still employed by the Pavilion and that a handful of others have already found work elsewhere.
"It's been a very smooth transition," he said.
Gone are ideas for 16 "state-of-the-art" classrooms and plans for 36 more classrooms, a vision from earlier this year. At the Web site www.slvc.com, visitors now find the words "Under Construction."
The "fun" in Fun Dome lives on with indoor/outdoor miniature golf and 30 lanes of bowling.
Spaces once reserved for classrooms will now be used for "high-end" conference, reception and banquet spaces for up to 3,000 people at a time. Anderson said catering will be a "major" part of the new business.
As the business plan for the property developed, Anderson said it became clear that a "mass quantity" of people were looking for conference and reception space.
"Really, we just decided to switch directions a little bit," he said. "I think it will actually create more jobs than the school would have."
E-mail: sspeckman@desnews.com