GOV. RENDELL ANNOUNCES FUNDING FOR STEELSTACKS

NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Kim I. Plyler (610) 332-1300, Ext. 333, kplyler@fest.org

BETHLEHEM, PA—Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell today announced a $5 million grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that will be used to support the construction of the SteelStacks arts, media and cultural center being developed by Bethlehem, Pa.-based nonprofit arts organization ArtsQuest and public television station PBS 39.

The announcement was made during Rendell’s visit to the Lehigh County Government Center in Allentown, Pa. as part of his five-day, 16-stop bus tour announcing $642 million in new state investments in 25 counties.

“The state’s continuing investment reinforces the efforts of the SteelStacks leadership team in their solicitations of corporations and individuals in our community. We appreciate Gov. Rendell’s leadership and endorsement of the SteelStacks project,” said Pat Simon, president of PBS 39.

ArtsQuest President and CEO Jeff Parks said, “We appreciate the Governor for his continued support. This grant will help us remain on schedule for the SteelStacks groundbreaking in July 2009.”

The $5 million grant from the Commonwealth is the second state grant awarded to SteelStacks. In December 2006, Gov. Rendell visited ArtsQuest’s Banana Factory in Bethlehem to award the first installment of $5 million for the project.

About SteelStacks

SteelStacks is an innovative 21st-century town square in Bethlehem, Pa. where history, culture and the arts will intersect with technology, education and celebration. Proposed for a portion of the former Bethlehem Steel Corp. property on the city’s south side, it will feature a variety of facilities for broadcasting, musical performances, education and performing arts.

The SteelStacks vision was born out of three years of intense planning, extensive research, cultural program development and visioning by a nonprofit consortium led by ArtsQuest and PBS 39. The complex will include the Public Broadcast Center for PBS 39 and the Performing Arts Center and the adaptive re-use Events Center owned and operated by ArtsQuest. The project will also result in 20,000-square feet of renovations and 3,200-square feet of new construction at the Bethlehem-based Banana Factory community arts center owned and operated by ArtsQuest.

For more information on SteelStacks, please visit www.SteelStacks.org.

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