Seven months after the original estimated completion date, the new Creative Arts Center on Haywood Community College’s campus finally has students and teachers filling its hallways and classrooms.

The process of building the new facility has been a long one with numerous change orders and several design oversights causing delays and pushing back the building’s opening from May 2012 to the start of the school’s spring semester on Monday, Jan. 7, 2013.

“We’re just excited that we’re finally there,” said Director of Campus Development Bill Dechant. “The students are just thrilled about it.”

The $8.3 million center was financed with proceeds from a quarter-cent local option sales tax approved by county voters in 2008 to address building needs at the college. The new facility was built to ...