The college held a ribbon cutting for its new 50,949-square-foot Hospitality and Resort Management (HRM) Center on April 12 at the Jefferson Davis Campus.
“We are excited about the opening of this state-of-the-art facility that will provide a hands-on learning environment for our students,” said Dr. Mary S. Graham, MGCCC president. “And we look forward to partnering with the hospitality and resort industries on the Gulf Coast to provide the education and training they need for their workforce.” The facility, which is conveniently located on the Biloxi/Gulfport
The ribbon cutting for the new 50,949-square-foot Hospitality and Resort Management (HRM) Center was held on April 12 at the Jefferson Davis Campus.
line adjacent to the Jefferson Davis Campus, will be used as both a training facility for students, and as a convention, conference, workforce training and special event center.
The $10.7 in funding for the facility came through various sources, including state bond funds, an Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant and district bonds. “This project has been 10 years in the making and would not be possible without the support of the supervisors in our four-county district,” Graham said. “We also appreciate the work of the Mississippi legislature in providing state bond funds.”
The HRM center has three large conference rooms, a boardroom and two classrooms, which along with the demonstration kitchen, will be available for lease. “This facility represents a new direction for MGCCC as it will also serve as a profit center, allowing us to provide our students with opportunities to work in a conference setting while obtaining their degree,” Graham said. “These experiences help ensure that students will be able to enter the workforce with the skills they need to hit the ground running. Additionally, leasing the space to external groups will allow us to generate funds to continually update the center with the latest equipment and supplies.”
With a total occupancy of up to 400 in the 5,600 square feet of conference space that includes three projectors and four screens, the Hospitality Resort Management Center is the ideal venue for meetings and events. It houses four fully equipped kitchens that each serves a specific purpose. One is designed for baking, one is for teaching an array of culinary techniques, one supports the 2,200-square-foot dining room in the facility, and the fourth kitchen will serve as a demonstration kitchen to accommodate 36 spectators in a gallery with three tiers from which to view the work of one or two chefs.
MGCCC will use the HRM center for education and training students in the Hospitality and Tourism Management Hotel and Restaurant Management and Travel and Tourism Management concentrations, and Culinary Arts and Related Foods, Food Production Technology and Business and Marketing Management programs. The building includes a hotel room and front desk, four computer labs, five classrooms, workspaces, student lockers and changing areas. Classes in the center will begin in spring 2013.
The Hospitality and Resort Management (HRM) Center is on the Biloxi/Gulfport line adjacent to the Jefferson Davis Campus and will be used as both a training facility for students, and as a convention, conference, workforce training and special event center.