As the country’s veterans age, finding care for them is becoming increasingly difficult and important. Fortunately, the soon-to-open Robert E. Spiller Bowling Green Veterans Center will provide this care.

The facility has been in the works for years, with discussions on constructing a home for veterans in Bowling Green going as far back as the 1990s. Dirt was finally turned on the 80,000 square-foot facility in November 2022, and is forecast to bring over 130 new jobs to the region once finished.

The Kentucky General Assembly last year appropriated $28 million for the project. It will be the fifth of its kind in the state, with similar facilities currently open in Radcliff, Hazard, Hanson and Wilmore.

Mark Bowman, executive director of the Office of Kentucky Veterans Centers within the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs, said if the Valentine’s Day completion date for construction is met, residents could start moving in as early as April or May. However, nothing is set in stone just yet.

“We have to get recognized with the VA and (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services), get all that staff in and build those systems,” he said. “So that’s kind of an approximate time, no guarantees, but hopefully we can solidify that pretty soon.”

State Rep. Michael Meredith, R-Oakland, who has championed the center for several years, said when the planning process began, the original hope was to have 120 beds in the facility.

If the facility is filled to capacity and staffing needs down the road grow, he said, the additional beds may be added in the future.

“I think we’re going to have plenty of need as far as veterans wanting to use it,” Meredith said. But making sure we’ve got the staff to staff it – If we can do that, then I think probably in the coming years we will go back and try to get that additional 30 beds, but it may be a year or two before we go there.”

We believe this center will prove to be a valuable asset for the region, and we commend the efforts of local, state and federal officials for making this dream a reality after so many years of effort.