WIESBADEN, Germany -- Starting early next year, Soldiers, Civilians and Family members living in the Wiesbaden community will have a new entertainment center to call their own.
The $8.8 million facility will consolidate and upgrade existing entertainment facilities in the garrison's footprint, including a 16-lane bowling alley, a cafeteria-style restaurant, a bar and lounge, a dance floor with a DJ booth, a slot machine room, and a billiards and table games room.
The center's multi-purpose rooms can host meetings or birthday parties, while the kid's zone and video game room will provide youngsters an area all their own.
"The 27,000 square-foot, two-story facility will have something for everyone," said Col. John Kem, Europe District commander during a speech at the May 26 groundbreaking ceremony, which also saw welcomed the U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden commander and officials from the German state and federal government. "This facility will be a bona fide one-stop amusement zone ... That sounds like a lot of fun on Friday night!"
A similar facility was recently constructed in U.S. Army Garrison Vicenza's Caserma Ederle, which routinely hosts live music events, theme parties, and poker tournaments.
Placement of the facility in the middle of the Hainerberg Military Family Housing area is strategic, planners say. Across the street will be the Wiesbaden Lodge which, when opened in late 2009, will house out-of-town visitors as well as Soldiers, Civilians and Family members PCSing in and out of Wiesbaden.
And for the many military families in the surrounding housing communities of Hainerberg, Aukamm, and Crestview - which house Soldiers and Families from junior enlisted to general officer - the center will be within a five-minute drive.
"It's right down the street from our homes, so we don't have to take public transportation; we could walk," said Tamarie Russel, a local volunteer with seven children whose husband is scheduled to deploy later this year. "It would be nice to let loose, get away from the kids, especially with the upcoming deployment. I think it would help to fuse the family."
Residents of Hainerberg will see some construction traffic, cranes, and some alteration of traffic patterns, said Ken Turner, District Program Manager for Family Housing. But these slight disruptions are nothing new for the community, which has seen its share of renovations in the last few years.
As a part of Army Housing's goal to eliminate all inadequate family housing in Europe, the District will have put over $50 million in whole neighborhood renovations into the community by the end of 2012, including new sidewalks, parking area, landscaping, electric, sewer and storm water lines, and refurbished and right-sized apartments.
"Hainerberg will be our benchmark to show just how much we invest in the community and in the warfighter and his family," said Turner. "We do our best to make sure these neighborhoods are renovated to the highest standards possible because we know how important quality of life is for morale, recruitment and retention."
Soon, Hainerberg will also see a new $5 million Child Development Center.
Construction on the project comes on the front of a wave of projects in Wiesbaden as the garrison prepares for USAREUR/7th Army's restationing actions.
"The U.S. Military community in Wiesbaden will continue to see more Modernizations and upgrades to existing facilities and new construction as we prepare for the restructuring and restationing of forces in Europe," said Roger Gerber, USAG Wiesbaden transformation and stationing officer. "Supporting USAREUR transformation with quality facilities in Wiesbaden is a top priority."
Dr. Helmut MAfA1/4ller, Wiesbaden's Lord Mayor, said at the entertainment center groundbreaking that he was glad to see these projects in Wiesbaden taking form, as they are a symbol of the "good cooperation" between the German city and U.S. military.
"I am always happy to drive by the area and see how these projects are coming along," he said. "We see this as part of the growing of the community here at Wiesbaden."
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