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[ Friday, Sept. 11, 1998 ]
State College to host governor's meeting
By JENNIFER NEJMAN
Collegian Staff Writer
A political spotlight will shine on Penn State and State College
for a few days during the year 2000.
Penn State President Graham Spanier and State College Mayor Bill
Welch announced yesterday that State College was chosen as the
site for the annual meeting of the National Governors' Association
in the year 2000.
Between 1,200 and 1,500 participants from all 50 states as well
as some from U.S. commonwealths and territories will attend the
meeting to discuss public policy issues. In addition, the meeting
will draw national media, the participants' families and possibly
the president of the United States to State College.
"State College is, needless to say, delighted for this opportunity
to show our Happy Valley to the nation," Mayor Bill Welch
said at the press conference held at the Penn Stater Conference
Center Hotel. The conference center and the Nittany Lion Inn,
200 W. Park Ave., will host the NGA meeting July 8 through July
11, Spanier said.
About 12 area hotels already have expressed interest in working
with Penn State to prepare for the influx of people, Spanier said.
"The event will have a major positive impact on State College
and the Centre Region. The economic benefits will be substantial,"
he said.
The meeting and the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts
will not be held at the same time. The arts festival is scheduled
to begin midday Wednesday, July 12, and the meeting is scheduled
to end Tuesday, Welch said.
Although the meetings may be closed to the public, students and
community members may have an opportunity to become involved by
organizing and running the event, Spanier said.
The NGA has bipartisan meetings twice a year. One is held in the
winter before the start of each congressional legislative session
and one is held each summer at varying locations.
"I think all the stars were lined up properly," Spanier
joked, explaining how the small metropolitan area of State College
landed such a large event. This year the meeting was held in Milwaukee,
and St. Louis is the planned site for next year.
Welch cited the small-town atmosphere as one of the reasons the
NGA staff selected the town. "We have such a happy blend
of past, present, future ... the natural and the technological
world," he said.
R E L A T E D L I N K S
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