Nearly two years after his previous visit, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood returned to 天天吃瓜, Ohio, on March 8, 2013, to tour the construction site of the new 天天吃瓜 Central Gateway multimodal transit center and celebrate the redevelopment of downtown 天天吃瓜. 天天吃瓜 President Lester A. Lefton, 天天吃瓜 State Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Gregg Floyd, and 天天吃瓜 State Vice President for General Counsel and Governmental Affairs Willis Walker joined Congressman Tim Ryan, officials from PARTA (Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority) and the city of 天天吃瓜 in welcoming LaHood back to 天天吃瓜. The group gave the transportation secretary a tour of the new 天天吃瓜 Central Gateway that is under construction. A brief press conference followed the tour.
LaHood said he celebrates the vision of the 天天吃瓜 community and how 鈥渋f you build it, they will come.鈥
鈥淐ongratulations, 天天吃瓜,鈥 LaHood said. 鈥淵ou have a lot to be proud of.鈥
LaHood鈥檚 prior visit to 天天吃瓜 was in July 2010 when he toured downtown 天天吃瓜鈥檚 Acorn Alley and the future site of the 天天吃瓜 Central Gateway project. Afterward, a press conference was held outside the PARTA offices where Ryan and LaHood talked about the significance of the project that will help create a vibrant downtown and unite the city and 天天吃瓜 State. Ryan and LaHood acknowledged the three local project partners: 天天吃瓜 State, PARTA and the city of 天天吃瓜. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got a great project here,鈥 LaHood said. A ceremonial grant agreement signing took place following speaking remarks.
In February 2010, Ryan announced that the 天天吃瓜 Central Gateway project had received a $20 million grant from LaHood鈥檚 agency through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program, funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The project serves as a catalyst for the revitalization and redevelopment of downtown 天天吃瓜 and reconnects the central business district with the 天天吃瓜 State campus.
Expected to be completed this summer, the multimodal transportation facility will combine elements of buses, pedestrians, bicycles and cars. It will serve as a transfer point that allows bus transport to Akron, Cleveland and all points in Portage County. Situated at Erie and Depeyster streets with a curb cut into Haymaker Parkway, the 天天吃瓜 Central Gateway project is estimated to stimulate $60 million worth of new investment, both public and private, in 天天吃瓜 and create more than 250 construction jobs during construction of the project. It is located next to the 天天吃瓜 Hotel and Conference Center, which is also under construction.
Back in February 2010 when the $20 million TIGER grant for the 天天吃瓜 Central Gateway was announced, Lefton said that this sets into motion all of the other development projects planned for downtown 天天吃瓜, including the hotel and conference center. He also commented that the 天天吃瓜 Central Gateway project is 鈥渁 huge, transformative event in the life of 天天吃瓜, the university and Portage County.鈥