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Yavapai College Groundbreaking for Teaching Winery

yavapai college winery

Participating in the Nov. 19th groundbreaking ceremony for the Southwest Wine Center Teaching Winery are (from left) Yavapai College President Dr. Penny Wills, Clarkdale Mayor Doug Von Gausig, Cottonwood Mayor Diane Joens, Yavapai College Verde Valley campus Dean James Perey, Verde Valley Wine Consortium President Tom Schumacher, Arizona Wine Growers Association President Peggy Fiandaca and FCI Constructors Vice President Joe Kelleher

Sedona AZ (November 20, 2013) – Yavapai College broke ground on its Verde Valley campus on November 19, 2013, for construction of the Teaching Winery at the Southwest Wine Center, which will be the premier academic center supporting wine growers throughout the southwest United States.

Several dozens guests from as far away as Phoenix attended the event on a perfect fall morning in Clarkdale. Speakers included Yavapai College President Dr. Penny Wills, Clarkdale Mayor Doug Von Gausig, Cottonwood Mayor Diane Joens, Verde Valley Wine Consortium President Tom Schumacher, Arizona Wine Growers Association President Peggy Fiandaca, and FCI Constructors Vice President Joe Kelleher.

Dr. Wills announced at the event that FCI Constructors, Inc. has been awarded the job of constructing the Teaching Winery. The company is headquartered in Grand Junction, Colorado, and also has offices in Phoenix. Joe Kelleher, FCI vice president of operations in Phoenix, participated in the groundbreaking activity.

Lana Tolleson, president and CEO of the Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce, presented Dr. Wills with a donation of $8,000 for the Southwest Wine Center.

The Teaching Winery is part of the Southwest Wine Center which will serve as a hub of education, research and rural economic development activity designed to support the Southwest’s growing viticulture industry in achieving its potential as a significant U.S. wine-producing region.

wine-glass2Construction will convert an underutilized racquetball building into a state-of-the-art, full-production teaching winery capable of turning out 3,000 cases of wine each year. The on-campus winery will be a teaching lab where students will learn the concepts of producing wine via hands-on experience. Construction costs will be $2.2 million, including $1.9 million for building renovation and construction and $300,000 for winemaking equipment.

Yavapai College, which has planted 6 acres of its 17-acre vineyard, will offer a 2-year degree program leading to an AAS in Viticulture and Enology, plus a Viticulture certificate that prepares individuals for various careers in the grape-growing industry.

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1 Comment

  1. Judy says:

    Is this public taxpayers money? Spent on a practical degree with job potential? About time.

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