BROOK PARK, Ohio — Blue Abyss has moved a stop closer to building a multi-million-dollar commercial astronaut training complex, including a giant pool and hotel, in Brook Park.
On Monday, the UK-based company announced the purchase of 12 acres of land in the city of Brook Park, adjacent to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and close to NASA’s Glenn Research Centre, Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility, the Ohio Aerospace Institute, and Cleveland's International Exposition Center (I-X Center).
"As we step into 2024, this exciting milestone in our partnership with the State of Ohio and the City of Brook Park signifies a shared commitment towards realizing a visionary Blue Abyss centre," said Blue Abyss CEO John Vickers in a statement. "This facility will stand as a beacon of innovation and a cornerstone of regional and national infrastructure, fostering economic growth, and job creation, leaving an enduring legacy for Brook Park, Ohio, and the global community.”
Blue Abyss plans to begin construction on its "state-of-the-art extreme environment research, development, and training centre" sometime in the second half of this year. The project is expected to take approximately 18 months to complete.
A training facility like this has been a dream of Vickers for 10 years. Inspired as a kid by the Apollo-Soyuz mission of 1975 and underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau, he envisions several centers across the globe.
In a Facebook post to go with Monday's announcement, Blue Abyss provided views of the purchased land and a rendering of the outside of the facility. Another training center is currently under construction in Cornwall, England. However, due to a large delay overseas, the Cleveland location is on track to being the first complex like this completed in the world.
"Blue Abyss investing in Brook Park for this ground-breaking facility is a clear sign of our unlimited potential and bright future and continues the great legacy of innovation by NASA Glenn and the Ohio Aerospace Institute, both located in Brook Park. We're eager to collaborate, leveraging their expertise to boost our local economy, generate jobs, and create a lasting legacy for our community and Northeast Ohio," added Brook Park Mayor Edward Orcutt. "I extend heartfelt thanks to Blue Abyss for choosing Brook Park as their home. Together, we embark on an exciting journey toward innovation and prosperity. The road to the next generation of space exploration runs through Brook Park”
