Multi-million dollar astronaut training facility could come to Brook Park

Brad Hamilton
·2 min read

BROOK PARK, Ohio (WJW) – A multi-million dollar facility could soon be coming to Brook Park.

No, it’s not a new stadium for the Cleveland Browns, but it could be a game changer for humanity.

“It’s one thing to say we are going to live and work in space or oceans, but how do you fundamentally prepare for that?” asked John Vickers, the CEO of Blue Abyss.

Vickers is on a quest to answer those questions through research. Based in Britain, his company specializes in studying space and the deep sea.

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Now, they are planning to build a state-of-the-art facility in Brook Park to help them on their mission.

“If we don’t build this next generational infrastructure, ideas will stay ideas and we will watch other nations take advantage of that,” said Vickers.

Recently, the reality of Blue Abyss coming to Brook Park took a giant step forward when Cuyahoga County Council approved a $450,000 economic development grant in support of the planned facility.

Located on 12 acres of land near Hopkins Airport, this $250 million research center would help astronauts train for the great beyond.

The project will include constructing the main astronaut and deep-water training facility, a hotel, a planetarium and a long-arm centrifuge building, totaling approximately 300,000 square feet.

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Brook Park’s Economic Director, Paul Marnecheck, says it will also help stimulate the economy.

“Once it is fully built, 200 jobs, but looking 30 years down the road, we are talking about 3.2 billion in economic impact,” said Marnecheck.

Those numbers come from a commissioned study done by Kent State University. Only time will tell if they come true, but Vickers plans to deliver on all fronts.

“I think what we are building high quality services, high quality jobs, an economic improvement to Brookpark,” said Vickers.

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