News Room

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 4, 2007

Columbus, OH -- Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher today announced that $561,792 in business and roadwork development grants have been awarded to one company and one community to aid in the growth and development of businesses and the creation and retention of jobs in Ohio. The grants, administered by the Ohio Department of Development, were approved today by the State Controlling Board and are expected to create 448 and retain 30 jobs for Ohioans.

"We are pleased to assist Celina Tent and PlanetSpace in getting the tools they need to continue to grow in Ohio," said Lt. Governor Fisher, who also serves as Director of the Ohio Department of Development. "These investments represent Ohio's commitment to its business community and a focus on providing our workers with quality job opportunities."

PlanetSpace, Inc. (PlanetSpace), to be located in Columbus (Franklin County), will receive a $461,792 Rapid Outreach Grant (412) for costs associated with the acquisition of machinery and equipment in support of its new research and development and manufacturing facility. PlanetSpace is a private, minority-certified company created by a consortium of aerospace and construction firms from the United States and Canada. The company will develop the technical aspects of various rocket vehicle systems for orbital and suborbital flight using environmentally acceptable alcohol-water fuel mixtures. PlanetSpace plans to demonstrate to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) its ability to supply the International Space Station with crew and cargo by December 2009. The company will also open various manned and unmanned space flight markets to the general public. The company proposes to locate a suborbital vehicle research and development and booster rocket and engine manufacturing operation at Rickenbacker International Airport. PlanetSpace would construct a new 40,000 square-foot building and lease an existing 19,200 square-foot building and invest in on-site infrastructure and new machinery and equipment. Ohio is in competition with Illinois, Virginia and Wisconsin for this more than $6.7 million project, which is expected to create 428 jobs within three years of the project’s initial operations.

Mercer County will receive a $100,000 Roadwork Development Grant (629) to complete public roadwork improvements in support of Celina Tent, Inc.’s (Celina Tent) expansion. Celina Tent manufactures and sells tents, shelters, tarpaulins and related accessories. The company began as two hardware stores and eventually concentrated on party rental items and, since January 2005, has focused solely on the manufacture and sale of tents and related items. The company's owners also own Grieshop Equipment, Inc., which owns Celina Tent's manufacturing equipment, and Grieshop Properties, LLC, which owns Celina Tent's land and buildings. Celina Tent was recently awarded a five-year contract with the United States Department of Defense for 16-foot by 16-foot humanitarian shelters for use in times of natural disaster and military conflict. The company proposes to add 27,450 square-feet to its existing facility, complete renovations, and purchase new machinery and equipment in order to fulfill the contract. Mercer County will reconstruct 1,400 lineal feet of State Route 29, also known as Logan Street, and add a turn lane to improve vehicle accessibility to Celina Tent’s facility. State Route 29 and nearby Mud Pike have been subject to increased traffic congestion and numerous accidents due to vehicles traveling to and from Celina Tent even before this expansion. The addition of a dedicated turn-lane into the facility and improvement of the existing roadway will accommodate the increased truck and car traffic that will occur with the expansion. The roadwork to be completed includes: excavation, grading, installation of base and asphalt, storm sewer construction within the road right-of-way, and related construction. This $875,000 project is expected to create 20 new jobs and retain 30 positions within three years of the project's initial operations.

The Rapid Outreach Grant (412) is a grant program to assist companies and communities that are creating or retaining jobs in Ohio. The Roadwork Development Account (629) provides grant assistance to communities for highway and road projects related to job creation and retention. The 629 Program is funded with gas tax dollars and is restricted to public road projects only.

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Media contacts: Melissa Ament at (614) 466-6619 or Kelly Hassett at (614) 466-4133