Renovation of the Phillips Auditorium had been in the planning stage for five years prior to Hillsdale College choosing Rockford. The team demolished and expanded the building, adding more seating, better acoustics and a modernized aesthetic. The new auditorium now seats 700, with 500 seats in the main space and 200 in the balcony. It’s double the size of any other auditorium on campus and was renamed Plaster Auditorium.