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SEED to consider TSTC request |
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Written by Ben Barkley
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Sunday, 07 September 2008 |
Last year, the Sweetwater Enterprise for Economic Development awarded a $75,000 grant to Texas State Technical College West Texas to help open a new restaurant for its culinary students.
Since that time, things have fallen through and the SEED board of directors will vote Monday to consider the request from TSTC to relinquish the funds granted to them by SEED. By relinquishing the funds, SEED will have that money back in its budget.
TSTC officials felt the next step for the students was a restaurant. As a result of the success of the culinary arts program, TSTC West Texas President Mike Reeser, along with Kathleen Butler, vice president of student development, and Paul Woodfin, chief financial officer of TSTC West Texas, made a presentation to the Sweetwater Enterprise for Economic Development about the possibility of funding a grant for the project and program.
Reeser said the restaurant, which could have been housed at the Sweetwater Country Club or another site, would have been a big boost for the local economy.
“This endeavor will be a triple win. The students are winners because of the learning opportunities they will have,” he said. “The college will win because of the potential for new revenues. Sweetwater will win with new jobs that include the State of Texas benefits package in the compensation plan.”
SEED said the grant fell under its workforce development criteria and Pat Gerald said he was pleased to help the university. Over the years, SEED has awarded grants to the college for other endeavors.
“This would be in line with other grants we have awarded the university,” he said.
Reeser said he was approached by the Sweetwater Country Club last year about providing the food service for the facility. After looking into the matter, TSTC West Texas officials felt it was a good idea to begin the endeavor as a way of keeping its culinary arts program in the forefront of the college’s academic criteria.
“An outside food services operation puts our culinary program on a par with the programs located in Dallas or Austin, but, because we’re state-supported, our tuition is 80 percent less,” Woodfin said.
TSTC was looking to opens Legends Restaurant at the country club and it would have been open to the public. According to the business plan, the restaurant will be “a great place to eat, combining an intriguing atmosphere with excellent, interesting, quality food.”
The mission is not only to have great tasting food, but have efficient and friendly service because customer satisfaction is paramount.
Reeser said at the time that he hopes the success of the culinary program will continue to grow with the opening of the restaurant.
“Our culinary arts program is one of the fastest growing programs we’ve ever done at TSTC,” he said. “However, the lack of a real world environment in which our students can participate has been a challenge for us.” |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 08 September 2008 )
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