Posted on Thursday, November 21, 2002
Gov. Mark Schweiker today delivered $1.7 million in capital budget redevelopment assistance to Westminster College to create a Western Pennsylvania Cultural Arts Center.
The state funding will allow Westminster College to renovate the 1,700-seat Orr Auditorium and work with the Lawrence County Tourist Promotion Agency to increase the number of cultural events in the county. Orr Auditorium serves as the area's major public venue for performing arts, public lectures, and civic programs.
"This project will improve what is already a major public venue for the performing arts in this area," Gov. Schweiker said. "This is more than just a renovation. It is about a community gathering place -- a regional cultural center important to improving the quality of life for this community and this region."
Gov. Schweiker made the announcement on the third day of a five-day "Celebration of the New Pennsylvania" tour across the state.
As the sole institution of higher education in Lawrence County, Westminster College serves as the region's cultural hub. The college's nine-month "Celebrity Series" brings national-caliber theater, dance and music to Lawrence and Mercer counties, and is usually sold out.
Recent performances have included Riverdance, comedian Bill Cosby, and the National Shakespeare Company production of Hamlet. Public lectures have been presented by such prominent figures as poet Maya Angelou and Middle East peace advocate Leah Rabin, widow of Israel's slain prime minister.
This project goes hand-in-hand with the new Campus Center, a $13.5 million project that is expected to be completed in May 2003.
The project is expected to create over 40 tourism and related jobs.
"This project is important because it will bring more people to the area," Gov. Schweiker said. "Any time you bring visitors into your area, you create jobs. Jobs mean paychecks for Pennsylvania workers, and paychecks mean stronger and more attractive communities."
Joining Gov. Schweiker at the announcement were R. Thomas Williamson, president of Westminster College; George Berlin, vice chair of the Westminster College Board of Trustees; and Gene DeCaprio, director of the Celebrity Series program.
Commenting on the announcement, Williamson said, "I believe The Western Pennsylvania Cultural Arts Center and K-12 Music Education Outreach Program at Westminster College is a smart investment in the future of Pennsylvania. The Cultural Arts Center would enable Westminster to expand its successful cultural programs during the summer months, while creating another destination site for regional tourism. The program would benefit the region both culturally and economically."
Today's grant was enabled in February 1999, when the General Assembly approved the Ridge-Schweiker Administration's plan to raise the cap on the capital budget's redevelopment assistance fund by $650 million for vital community- and economic-development projects statewide. Gov. Schweiker recently signed legislation raising the cap by an additional $250 million.
During the Administration, the number of Pennsylvania counties receiving capital budget redevelopment assistance funds has more than doubled from 22 to 46 counties.
The Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program is a state grant program for the acquisition and construction of economic, cultural or civic improvement projects. The General Assembly must authorize funding for projects before they can be considered by the Governor. Since 1985, more than $1.6 billion in redevelopment assistance funds have helped to leverage more than $4.1 billion in local-more-matching funds. Projects range from museums, zoos, theaters and cultural centers to airports, convention centers and industrial parks.
Since 1995, Pennsylvania families and employers have saved $19 billion through tax cuts, workers' compensation reform, reduced red tape and electric deregulation. These savings have helped to create nearly 500,000 new jobs.
For more information about Gov. Schweiker's "Celebration of the New Pennsylvania" tour, visit the PA PowerPort at www.state.pa.us, PA Keyword: "New Pennsylvania."
