Published: March 20, 2008 11:41 pm            

Riley visits area to tour proposed sites

By Brittany Woodby

BWOODBY@CULLMANTIMES.COm

HANCEVILLE — Governor Bob Riley visited several locations in Cullman Thursday which could potentially become the site of a multi-million-dollar robotics training center.

Riley, as well as two-year college chancellor Bradley Byrne and Alabama Industrial Development Training Director Ed Castille, toured a site at one of Cullman’s industrial park and another on the campus of Wallace State Community College in Hanceville.

Though the governor said all of the Cullman County sites would suit the facilities’ needs, he was particularly interested in the site at WSCC.

“We looked at three different pieces of property up here today,” Riley said. “All of them would work but this is unique, being a part of the campus here. We’re going back and we’re going to look at it.”

The governor’s office announced the intent to build the center last fall near either Wallace State or Calhoun Community College in Decatur. Both areas have been competing to receive the project, which would consist of a 25,000-square foot training center; a 75,000-square-foot testing center and a 40,000-square-foot research and development center.

Wallace State President Vicki Hawsey said she was “extremely pleased” Riley came to visit the campus and she feels confident Wallace State is the best location for the project.

“We were just delighted that he took the opportunity to visit,” she said. “We believe Wallace State and Cullman County are the ideal locations for the governor’s robotics center and the community continues to support the location of the center.”

Riley commended Hawsey on her dedication to developing the project, saying she has “done a spectacular job putting this all together.”

“She’s done a magnificent job of coming up with some options,” he said.

Riley said he intends to visit Calhoun Community College and other sites in Decatur within the next week and hopes to make a decision soon.

“It’s something we need to do as quickly as we can,” he said. “We’ve been talking about this now for almost a year, so as soon as we possibly can we’re going to make a decision so we can at least start doing some preliminary planning. I hope we can break ground somewhere this year.”

        

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