New Campus Coming to Marion County

Too many students, too little space. That's the problem Marion County was facing at their regional  training center. They're hoping to solve the problem with their recently approved plans to build a new and improved school campus.

New jobs opportunities will soon be coming to Marion County when a mystery company moves in. According to Marion County Mayor Howell Moss, these jobs will require specific training; training that has prompted the county to make plans for a 150 acre school campus.

"There are good jobs on the horizon but the people will have to be trained. That's why we must build a training center for those purposes," said Mayor Moss.

It's training that he says needs to be done closer to the city. Here's why -- between Chattanooga and Knoxville, there are 9 different colleges. But from Chattanooga to Nashville, you pass only one. Mayor Moss says it's a problem that he plans to fix.

"Our goal is not to just be a one building facility, but the reason we're acquiring that much land is we want to build it into a college campus much like Chattanooga State is in Chattanooga," Mayor Moss said.

 Mayor Moss says his vision is for the center to be a technical college, much like Chattanooga State. Over time, he hopes they will be able to grow to a 4 year program. Right now, they have one regional training facility in Kimball, but Mayor Moss says it has quickly outgrown itself.

Moss says that at the current regional skills center, they have about 450 students and are having to turn away new applicants. He's hoping at the new facility, they will be able to hold more than 1000 students.  State grants are helping fund the building of the multimillion dollar campus along with a lease contract with Chattanooga State.

Brent Hutchins lives in Marion county and says with ever rising gas prices, building the new school close to town will have a positive impact on the city.

"I think it will be a great investment for the community, especially with the economic crisis that we're in. I think it'd be good for this community so the people around this area won't have to drive all the way to Chattanooga," said Hutchins.

Mayor Moss says they plan to start construction this fall. Phase one and two of the three phase project are expected to be completed and ready for students to attend classes by the fall of 2010.

As for the name of the company coming to town, Mayor Moss says he's not sure when that will be announced.