My MAME cabinet

I decided to build a MAME cabinet from scratch.  I got the basic shape from http://www.arcadecab.com/Intro.htm.  I'm not sure what to make it out of.  I'm thinking just 3/4"plywood but I'm not sure it will finish nice.  Home Depot lists it online costing $40 which is kind of pricey.  For around $20 they have "Ultra-Blend Particleboard Underlayment" but I'm not sure it's really meant for this kind of thing.

I modeled everything in Sketchup.  The file is attached.  I also attached a number of shots so you can get an idea.  I guess you can't add notes to pictures in a forum topic?  There is a stool that slides out so kids can play easier.  The control panel will hinge out to access the wires.  Another hinged door will conceal the keyboard and mouse which will slide out on drawer slides.  The keyboard is just a grey boxy shape in my sketchup pics.  Another larger door will swing open for access to the computer.  The screen itself, a standard modern LCD computer monitor, will be removable so it can be easily turned 90 degrees for vertical games.  One pic has it in the vertical position.  The red button between the speakers above the screen is a pause button.

I'd also like a way to turn off the lights behind the marquee when the computer goes to sleep.  I can handle the electronics to turn off the lights if only I can get a 5v or 12v signal from the computer when it goes to sleep.

So what do you think?  I'm still in the planning stage although I have ordered the controls and keyboard emulator.