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RTC college sets sights on Jan. 2010
Published 12:00 p.m., March 3, 2009
The Fergus Falls community could be welcoming 250 new international business school students at the site of the Regional Treatment Center (RTC) as early as January 2010.
That was the main message given by Campus Development Group president Rick Anderson during Monday's city council meeting.
At this stage in the game, the academic aspects of the school's curriculum have been sorted by area university leaders, Anderson said. The main focus now is working with architects and engineers to develop a re-construction plan for the building's interior.
Because the CDG is currently working with and receiving updates from engineers and architects, Anderson said he is not yet able to produce hard numbers to the council at this time.
"There are a lot of moving parts and we can't get to a financial document until we have these hard numbers," he said.
Architects and engineers are looking into what dormatory, classroom, lounge and dining spaces will look like, and where within the building they will be located.
Once those design aspects have been established, the CDG will present the plans to the city.
Anderson said when figures based on architects' and engineers' assessments have been figured in, the complete financial picture will be presented to potential investors.
In the meantime, the CDG continues to communicate on a regular basis with potential investors, both in America and China. Although financial global markets continue to plunge, Anderson said he is still "fairly confident" investors will pull through.
"We keep moving ahead," Anderson said. "We're still planning, working with engineers and architects."
Within the next 60 days, Anderson said a number of Chinese University representatives will visit Fergus Falls to tour the facility, most likely in April.
Financial closure is set to be made on the international business school project by June 30, 2009.
On the property management side of things, Kent Mattson, attorney responsible for the coordination of the re-development process, says the next major step in the property project will be to have an informational meting with developers, the city and representatives from the state. Such meetings could happen as early as next week.
Mattson said it will be important to work out a plan which will allow enough flexibility for the city, in the case that the international business college does not become a reality, to use the space for other purposes, so "that the city does have the opportunity to develop that with green space."
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