A bipartisan group of Kentucky lawmakers joined Gov. Andy Beshear on Wednesday as he signed a bill that will provide financial support to complete the Bowling Green Veterans Center.
In November 2022, Beshear joined federal, state and local leaders to break ground on the veterans center, and newly signed House Bill 2 dedicates an additional $16,630,000 in fiscal year 2022-2023 to complete construction of the $53 million, 80,000-square-foot facility.
The center is expected to be completed in 2024.
The BG Veterans Center will create 120 new jobs and will be the state’s fifth long-term skilled nursing care facility. The facility will provide 60 beds and is being built on 25 acres donated by the Inter-Modal Transportation Authority at the Kentucky Transpark in Warren County.
Beshear said efforts have been underway for more than 10 years to locate a state veterans home in Bowling Green.
“Supporting our veterans is a sacred duty, one that I have made a priority during my administration,” Beshear stated. “Today is another example of how, when we work together, we can do what’s right for our people – especially our heroic veterans. I hope we, as Kentuckians, can commit to the hard work of being worthy of their sacrifices, which sustain us.”
This new center will provide compassionate care for Kentucky’s veterans through state-of-the-art equipment, physical therapy and recreational activities, the governor’s office said.
The single-story skilled nursing facility was designed using the federal Department of Veterans Affairs’ small-house design, which provides a private suite for each veteran and will include common living and support areas.
(Photo: Artist’s rendering of the Bowling Green Veterans Center, courtesy of WKYUFM.org)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
