FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
November 24, 2003
Office for the New Economy
Contact: Terri Giltner (502) 564-8007
(West Liberty, KY) - Governor Paul Patton joined legislative and community leaders today to dedicate the new $6.6 million Morgan County Regional Technology Center (MCRTC). The Center, located in the rural community of West Liberty and housing the new Morgan County Public Library, is designed to promote and support new economy business growth in Eastern Kentucky. The Center has already attracted anchor tenants: Belcan Partners, LLC, and a new rural innovation center.
According to Governor Patton, “The Morgan County Regional Technology Center will provide the state-of-the-art technical support and expertise necessary to grow and sustain New Economy companies in the area, like Belcan Partners, LLC.”
Some of the officials on hand to celebrate the occasion were House of Representatives Speaker Jody Richards, State Representatives John Will Stacy and Rocky Adkins, along with University of Kentucky officials, Morgan County Judge Executive Tim Conley and former Morgan County Judge Executive Sid Stewart, Commissioner of the Office for the New Economy, Dr. Bill Brundage and James Nelson, Commissioner of the State Department of Libraries and Archives.
Managed by the University of Kentucky, the MCRTC has developed partnerships that include Morgan County, the Kentucky Office for the New Economy, the State Department of Libraries and Archives, Eastern Kentucky University, Morehead State University, Maysville Technical and Community College, and Belcan Partners, LLC.
“The center will be a catalyst and hub for technology instruction, training, and skill building within the region,” stated Speaker Richards. “With anchor tenants such as Belcan Partners, LLC, and the new West Liberty Innovation Center, the MCRTC is laying the foundation to build and nurture new economy businesses in Eastern Kentucky.”
Guided by the vision of former Morgan County Judge Executive Sid Stewart, State Representative John Will Stacy obtained funding for this project with strong advocacy from Speaker Jody Richards. The facility will be called the Stewart-Richards building in honor of their efforts. “This is a major milestone to build a new economy that will be the foundation to a brighter future for the citizens of eastern Kentucky,” said Rep. Stacy.
Belcan Partners, LLC, a charter tenant in the new facility has received financial assistance from the Economic Development Finance Authority in the amount of $800,000 to recruit regional personnel to work in its high-tech business. One of the company’s primary markets is the aggregation of information, applications, and learning content for agricultural business innovation.
The West Liberty Innovation Center, a partnership between the Kentucky Office for the New Economy, Eastern Kentucky University, Morehead State University and the University of Kentucky, is also locating in the Morgan County facility. The West Liberty Innovation Center is one of 15 rural innovation centers planned throughout the state of Kentucky; seven of these centers will be located in Eastern Kentucky.
“The goal of the rural innovation centers is to attract entrepreneurs and develop businesses that will be competitive and innovative in today’s new economy,” said Dr. Brundage. “The West Liberty Innovation Center will help us create a New Economy corridor in the Northeastern Kentucky region that capitalizes on established business base.”
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