City of Muncie, Indiana & Arc of Indiana Announce New Downtown Teaching Hotel

MUNCIE, Ind. (March 4, 2014) – Governor Mike Pence joined officials from The Arc of Indiana, a statewide advocacy organization for people with disabilities, today to announce state support for the training institute and teaching hotel in Muncie, which will provide postsecondary education opportunities for people with disabilities.

“Every Hoosier deserves an opportunity to develop skills for employment, and Indiana is working to foster innovative ways to make this a reality,” said Governor Pence. “The state’s partnership with The Arc of Indiana unveiled today will help Hoosiers acquire the training and skills necessary to return to their communities, earn positions in the hospitality and food service industries and build a better future.”

This first-of-its-kind project in the nation will provide postsecondary education opportunities for people with disabilities in the hospitality and food service industries, train human resource professionals in hiring people with disabilities and employ people with disabilities. Plans also call for people with disabilities to own and operate two businesses in the hotel lobby. The 150-room hotel, which will be branded as a Courtyard by Marriott, will have a restaurant and attached parking garage. Ground is expected to be broken this spring at the site, which is located adjacent to the Horizon Convention Center, with the teaching hotel and training institute slated to open its doors in the summer of 2015.

“Thanks to the state of Indiana’s support, a key piece of the puzzle was put into place that allows The Arc to move forward with our dream, and ongoing capital campaign, to establish the nation’s first statewide hospitality training institute for people with disabilities,” said Kim Dodson, associate executive director of The Arc and chief executive officer of Arc Innovations. “We are proud to be in a state where economic development opportunities include people with disabilities.”

The state of Indiana, acting through the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, will grant up to $5 million to the Arc of Indiana, based on fundraising milestones, to construct and equip the hospitality training institute and teaching hotel.

“The city of Muncie is proud to be a partner with The Arc in establishing the Courtyard by Marriott as a teaching hotel that will help serve the Horizon Convention Center,” said Muncie Mayor Dennis Tyler. “I could not be prouder of the fact that Muncie will be home to facilities that will provide job training to people with disabilities, and immediate employment opportunities. In addition, the citizens of Muncie will benefit from property tax revenue and increased convention and tourism business.”

The total economic impact of the hotel is expected to result in $3.4 million in economic activity in Delaware County each year of operation, according to studies by Ball State University’s Center for Business and Economic Research. In addition, the studies estimated that Indiana could see a benefit of $1.5 million in property taxes from the project over the first five years as well as a significant decrease in spending on people who move into employment.

About The Arc
The Arc of Indiana is a statewide advocacy organization for people with disabilities. The Arc of Indiana is committed to all people with developmental disabilities realizing their goals of learning, living, working and playing in the community. We are home to The Arc Master Trust, the nation’s premiere Special Needs Trust, serving Hoosiers of all disabilities for more than 25 years, and affiliated with The Arc of the United States. For more information, visit www.arcind.org.

About IEDC
Created in 2005 to replace the former Department of Commerce, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation is governed by a 12-member board chaired by Governor Mike Pence. Victor Smith serves as the Indiana Secretary of Commerce and Eric Doden is the president of the IEDC.

The IEDC oversees programs enacted by the General Assembly including tax credits, workforce training grants and public infrastructure assistance. All tax credits are performance-based. Therefore, companies must first invest in Indiana through job creation or capital investment before incentives are paid. A company who does not meet its full projections only receives a percentage of the incentives proportional to its actual investment. For more information about IEDC, visit www.iedc.in.gov.