Two North Alabama community colleges battle for robotics center

Two north Alabama community colleges are jockeying for a robotics center that is being touted as a national center for robotics research, education, and training.

Gov. Bob Riley said he and two-year system Chancellor Bradley Byrne are meeting with officials from Wallace State Community College and Calhoun Community College and a decision is expected in coming months

The cost and funding source for the three-phase Alabama Robotics Innovation Center project have not been determined, but it could possibly be around $40 million, Riley said.

"We'll sit down and try to figure which of the two or three places that would like this project would be the best location," Riley told the Decatur Daily in a Wednesday story.

"All will do a fantastic job, and the people they serve will benefit tremendously from this project," he said.

Wallace State Community College President Vicki Hawsey said her college is emphasizing its Hanceville location, which is near the largest number of advanced manufacturing industries in the state, near Birmingham, near the center of the state and near Interstate 65.

Wallace State officials met with Riley and Byrne in a closed meeting on Tuesday. Byrne also heard a presentation from Calhoun Community College officials, who made a similar meeting with Riley in January.

Calhoun promoted its Decatur location, saying it was near Huntsville and its high-tech and aerospace industries, in one of the fastest-growing areas, and near Redstone Arsenal.

Both colleges promoted their strengths in work force development and their existing robotics classes.

Both schools are in regional consortiums funded with federal grants that might benefit a robotics center and have property available for the center.

Calhoun officials offered more land possibilities at Tuesday's meeting with the chancellor, with Calhoun President Marilyn Beck presenting at least five locations.

Byrne said he would like to see the two schools form a partnership in robotics, although that doesn't solve the location problem.

"I said this morning that Calhoun's presentation would be a hard target (for Wallace) to reach, but Vicki and her crew presented an excellent proposal," Byrne said. "We have two excellent colleges and two excellent proposals."

Information from: The Decatur Daily, http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/index.shtml