As a result of the military Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process and the transformation of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Harford County has seen unprecedented growth in recent years. More than 2,300 new jobs were created in just one year, and the County welcomed more than 80 new defense contractors and eight new professional organizations to the area, according to the Harford County Office of Economic Development. Recognizing the need for more meeting space in the area to accommodate BRAC growth, paired with the growing need for a high-quality destination complex in the County, engineer Jim Foulk and developer Clark Turner have joined forces to develop the Water’s Edge Events Center, which is set to break ground on May 31, 2012.
“BRAC has transformed Aberdeen Proving Ground into the region’s key workforce center and the state’s third largest economic powerhouse,” said Jim Foulk, co-owner of the Water’s Edge Events Center and president and CEO of Chesapeake Testing. “These economic impacts have provided a strong case for the development of a large meeting and events facility in Harford County, which is exactly why Water’s Edge Events Center will be a welcome addition to the community.”
In December 2011, Harford County’s Office of Economic Development and the Greater Baltimore Committee releaseda detailed study examining tourism-related economic development opportunities and challenges currently facing the County. The study found the meeting, convention, and social event spaces in Harford County to be quite insufficient, concluding that the lack of adequate meeting space was forcing potential events to seek more suitable facilities elsewhere in the region, primarily in Baltimore and Philadelphia.“The Water’s Edge Events Center will finally meet the swelling demand for a state-of-the-art events venue in this area,” said Clark Turner.
The highly anticipated events facility is the latest project to come to the Water’s Edge Corporate Campus. Construction is scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2013. “An event guest will first be greeted by the timeless architecture that compliments the existing Class A office buildings in the corporate park. Guests will step into a building filled with exquisite interior detailing and eventually work their way toward a natural light–filled banquet room with panoramic views of the Bush River,” said Turner. The 31,588 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility will include a conference center, two banquet halls with water views and outdoor entertaining space, and an executive private dining area. Water’s Edge Events Center will welcome area military and government professionals, defense contractors, and businesses for secure business meeting events, and private citizens for weddings and events.
The Water’s Edge Events Center is another exciting addition to the Water’s Edge Corporate Campus, previously the site of the old Bata Shoe factory, and will further extend the quality of the employee- and community-friendly environment of the campus. As Harford County’s newest landmark, it is a welcome addition to the area and a further indication of the continued economic growth of the County.
When complete, facility tours will be provided to the public.
This is a beautiful venue and it will be something all Harford Countians can be proud of. Clark and his partner had a lot of foresight, (and the project has brought jobs, jobs and more jobs to the County).
Just for your info, the Army is severly limiting conference attendance and sponsorship based on the recent GSA fiasco and related congressional imquiries. We just recently had to provide detailed statistics about the number of planned conferences to higher hq. We have been told that it is possible that all conference participation will be cancelled for the forseeable future.
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