New CCC technology center named after Speaker Tim Moore

Cleveland Community College’s Advanced Technology Center unveiled its new name during a grand opening Wednesday.

The name, which had been kept under wraps for months, was revealed as the Speaker Tim Moore Advanced Technology Center to a crowd of supporters, community college staff, county leaders and others after a lineup of speeches.  

The $15 million center, which was named in honor of North Carolina House of Representative and Speaker of the House Tim Moore, will welcome its first students this fall.

The North Carolina General Assembly contributed $9 million to the project.

The soaring, modern building will provide training programs in mechanical drafting, electronics engineering technology, automation engineering technology, industrial systems technology and computer integrated machining. 

Moore, one of the evening’s speakers, said he doesn’t deserve the recognition but the gesture was “very kind.”

He said the true distinction will be the people who are able to take advantage of the Advanced Technology Center to embark on new careers.

“I’m very honored by this,” Moore said. “But I’m more honored that this building will make a difference in the lives of so many people.”

The airy 30,000-square-foot, two-story building includes a 3D printing computer lab, several classrooms, space for manufacturing companies to come and train workers specifically for the jobs they will be doing, and a metal printing and machining lab. Cleveland County Economic Development Partnership also has office space in the building.

According to the Golden LEAF Foundation, funding came from several sources, including $9 million from the North Carolina General Assembly, $2 million from the Connect NC Bond, and $1.5 million in Community-Based Grant Initiative funding awarded by the Golden LEAF Foundation Board.