Ground broken for West Gate @ Crane Technology Park

May 17, 2006

CONTEXT's Craig Glazier presented the 15-year vision for the West Gate @ Crane Technology Park to an enthusiastic host of elected officials and business figures prior to the groundbreaking of the super park's first building. The planned 1,000 acre development spans three counties and is expected to make southern Indiana a strategic location for commercial defense companies and other high-tech businesses.

CRANE, Ind. – Commercial defense companies seeking a strategic advantage should take serious notice of southern Indiana these days as officials from the $2 billion Naval Surface Warfare Center (NWSC) declared on Wednesday that "the West Gate technology park is a good place to be."

...Because of the recent growth of the military facility, which directly employs more than 4,000 scientists, engineers and technical professionals, Purdue University has called the region "the single best opportunity for the direct commercialization of technology in Indiana." – Michael Snyder. "Indiana Super Park Takes Form For Rapid Technology Growth" eprairie.com May 18, 2006. Read the whole story at eprairie.com...

CRANE – "We had an economic summit five years ago," said Dave Reece, former executive director of Crane Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center and former director of the Southern Indiana Business Alliance, the powerhouse of area businesses that worked to help save the base from the most recent Base Realignment and Closure. "We talked then about establishing a tech park, and we've been talking and thinking about it a long, long time." Now, he continued, the opportunities are here in the tri-county park to attract more and more companies to the area.

And with those companies will come not only jobs, said Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman, but good, high-paying positions. That, she added, was part of the commitment she and Gov. Mitch Daniels made when they threw their support behind keeping Crane open — to not just save it but to make it bigger and better. – Laura Thigpen. "Tech park off and running" Washington Times-Herald May 18, 2006. Read the whole story at washtimesherald.com...

BEDFORD – State and area community leaders met Wednesday afternoon for a formal ground-breaking ceremony at the West Gate@Crane Technology Park. The park is a multi-community effort to bring advanced technology firms into the area, situated next to what some officials call the "Jewel of Southern Indiana" - Crane Division Naval Surface Warfare Center. – Jason Mullis. "Officials break ground at Crane tech park" Times-Mail May 18, 2006. Read the whole story at tmnews.com...