Lansing - The Lansing Community College Board of Trustees finalized its application Friday to place a new training facility in Delta Township.
The $6.9 million Michigan Technical Education Center and $16.7 million training center will train workers for General Motors Corp., its suppliers and other high-tech manufacturers. Students taking courses at LCC will also have a chance to work on the equipment.
“MTEC is for businesses that use that facility to train their employees to upgrade their skills and it benefits the whole community,” LCC spokesman Brent Jackson said. The 162,000 square-foot building will be located along Interstate 496 and Mount Hope Road. The state has 17 technical education centers.
“The program is funded through community colleges,” LCC director of public relations Ruth Borger said. “The program will help those already employed to update their skills and to be more competitive. It was the best situation for the community, students and GM.”
LCC officials chose the Delta site because of the expansion potential and the $3.4 million price tag. Administrators said they didn’t find a site in Lansing that met their criteria.
The unanimous vote came after LCC trustees gave Lansing an extra week to provide financial help to build the center at the GM Grand River Assembly Plant.
The decision was based on factors such as total cost, available acres, visibility and proximity to GM, the LCC campus and a new platinum plant.
LCC Trustee Thomas Rasmusson said the proposed Lansing location would cost more than four times the Delta site and require condemning land.
Lansing city council members had been trying to persuade LCC to place MTEC in Lansing. Had LCC trustees chose the Lansing location, workers would pay taxes to Lansing rather than to Delta Township.
“As a resident and Lansing official, I would have liked to have the plant in Lansing,” Councilmember Carol Wood said. “But also, as a city official, I have to believe that LCC reviewed it and picked the best for taxpayers and LCC itself. Even though it saddens me, I know they put in a lot of work into it. I accept their decision.”
