Blue Abyss gets State of Ohio investment to develop extreme environment research center
Ohio’s capital budget recently granted Blue Abyss a one-time investment of $1.8 million to support the development of its extreme environment research center in Brook Park, Ohio. Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted, along with members of the Ohio General Assembly, announced the investment contained in House Bill 2 on June 28th.
The capital budget process introduced $4.2 billion for community projects that benefit Ohioans, including renovations to school facilities, advancements to state parks, local projects, and one-time investments in projects like Blue Abyss’s state-of-the-art extreme environment training facility.
Blue Abyss, a UK company, plans to construct this state-of-the-art hub that includes a hotel and a center for testing extreme environments. The facility will have the largest and deepest subsea training pool, along with end-to-end astronaut training facilities. Located adjacent to the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, the innovative resources of this 12-acre site will create jobs and attract top-tier talent to the state.
Ohio lawmakers passed House Bill 2 (the Capital Budget Bill) to grow the economy with the goal of making Ohio one of the best states to live, work, and raise a family. Other appropriations given by the Ohio Senate include Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Akron-Canton airport, parks in Columbus, and other state agencies and public safety projects.
The Capital Budget Bill is a one-time strategic community investment fund separate from the regular operating budget. Gov. DeWine’s recommendations were introduced during the Ohio General Assembly and approved by the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate President.
What It Means For Ohio
The Blue Abyss project, which is the first of its kind, promises to elevate the local community of Brook Park and all of Northeast Ohio thanks to the funds from the State Capital Budget.
A study done at Kent State concluded that the completion of the center adds 1,759 full-time jobs to the area and increases resident income by $135 million dollars. Over five years, those numbers will increase to 3,900 jobs and $277 million in additional income.
Ohio is already a leader in groundbreaking transportation and exploration technology, and that influence will only be strengthened by the completion of the Blue Abyss Center. Its convenient location allows for collaboration with the Ohio Aerospace Institute and the NASA Glenn Research Center. These close partnerships mean that both subsea and space exploration technologies can quickly advance and that those advancements will be happening in the heart of Ohio.
The Blue Abyss facility also promises to be an amazing educational opportunity for the area. The facility is the perfect place for internships and research projects that can advance Ohio’s university students who are studying robotics and extreme environments.
The opportunities that come along with the project make it the perfect recipient of Ohio Capital Budget funds and are investments that will pay back that taxpayer more than tenfold.
