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09.18.06 Contract signed for Drummond Center Another step has been taken toward making the Drummond Center for Statesmanship a reality. Dr. Jay West, Erskine College vice president for institutional relations, said a memorandum of understanding was signed last month with U.S. Land Investments, a Charlotte, N.C.-based company, that will result in construction of a conference center at Lake Russell. U.S. Land, along with a hotel operator, will make the space available during the upcoming development of a new hotel on Lake Russell. "It will be named the Drummond Center of Erskine College," West said. "Erskine will be involved in the interior design, there will be office space for staff as needed for student legislative retreats, local and state government retreats, public forums, and other events." He said college officials and students would get reduced room rates at the hotel when Erskine is having events at the hotel. A groundbreaking has been set for Saturday, Oct. 7, at 11 a.m. West said a number of national, state and local officials will be invited to attend the event. "This is historic for Erskine," West said. "'The Drummond Center of Erskine College' will be displayed on the side of the building." Last year, the foundation of U.S. Land donated $100,000 to the college to provide a recreation facility for Erskine students on the lake. The company also donated property on the lake for development of a Drummond Center facility and the agreement puts that development in reach. U.S. Land is developing about 1,000 homes, estimated at $400,000 and up, and West said that would give Erskine another group of people with which to share its message and mission of Christian commitment and excellence in learning. "What's beautiful about this is that it is ecologically sound," West said. "They're not going in and ripping out a lot of trees. There will be a lot of green space in the development." He said including the Drummond Center in the lake development accomplishes several things. "There's no overhead cost (for the college)," West said. "It's a much more viable means of accomplishing the same end." There will be access for Erskine students for golf, tennis, water sports, and a nature conservatory given to the college by U.S. Land. West said U.S. Land officials hope to employ Erskine students at various sites within the development, such as the marina, restaurants, etc. This week's announcement follows closely on the heels of an announcement several weeks ago concerning the appropriation of $700,000 by the State of South Carolina toward an endowed professorship, part of an effort toward establishing a political economy major at Erskine.
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