An international organization dedicated to world peace has big plans for a small farming town in northern Kansas. The group is called Global Country of World Peace. And they have chosen Smith Center, Kansas to build a $60 million college.
Welcome to center of the United States - Smith County, Kansas. Most have lived here their whole lives.
But among the open fields and farmland, there is evidence of newcomers.
It is hard to miss with partially complete steel structures. Welcome to the future home of Maharishi Central University.
"This is not a new idea that we are bring forth here, it is just new to this area," said Eric Michener.
The college is a massive undertaking spearheaded by Global Country of World Peace.
They are an international organization created to eliminate violence, disease and poverty through transcendental meditation.
"We feel with this new technology of total brain functioning that people experience with this practice, that that will give rise to the basis of true permanent world peace," said Michener.
The group chose this area because it is at the exact geographic center of the country - what they call the "bramistan".
There is only one Bramistan in the U.S, as there is in each country.
"We feel that when you are at the center, you can more effectively achieve and radiate this peace and harmony to the rest of the world through the U.S," said Michener.
"It is supposed to be the power center of the U.S, and the area to best manage the U.S from," Gary Weisenberger said.
Global Country of World Peace considers the location so important, they have made this college their biggest project to date.
"Because of its position, it makes it unique, and because of that the movement has decided to make it the size that it is, and that will make it the largest structure that they have," said Weisenberger.
The first phase of construction began last summer.
So far 11 structures are up in some form, but none are complete.
Leaders told News 5 they plan to have 16 campuses ready by the fall of 2009.
"Superstructures are up and almost complete on 9 of them," said Weisenberger.
By 2010 they expect to house 3200 students from all over the world. But their ultimate goal is 10,000 students.
This plan calls for 50 campuses, one for each state in the country.
Welcome to center of the United States - Smith County, Kansas. Most have lived here their whole lives.
But among the open fields and farmland, there is evidence of newcomers.
It is hard to miss with partially complete steel structures. Welcome to the future home of Maharishi Central University.
"This is not a new idea that we are bring forth here, it is just new to this area," said Eric Michener.
The college is a massive undertaking spearheaded by Global Country of World Peace.
They are an international organization created to eliminate violence, disease and poverty through transcendental meditation.
"We feel with this new technology of total brain functioning that people experience with this practice, that that will give rise to the basis of true permanent world peace," said Michener.
The group chose this area because it is at the exact geographic center of the country - what they call the "bramistan".
There is only one Bramistan in the U.S, as there is in each country.
"We feel that when you are at the center, you can more effectively achieve and radiate this peace and harmony to the rest of the world through the U.S," said Michener.
"It is supposed to be the power center of the U.S, and the area to best manage the U.S from," Gary Weisenberger said.
Global Country of World Peace considers the location so important, they have made this college their biggest project to date.
"Because of its position, it makes it unique, and because of that the movement has decided to make it the size that it is, and that will make it the largest structure that they have," said Weisenberger.
The first phase of construction began last summer.
So far 11 structures are up in some form, but none are complete.
Leaders told News 5 they plan to have 16 campuses ready by the fall of 2009.
"Superstructures are up and almost complete on 9 of them," said Weisenberger.
By 2010 they expect to house 3200 students from all over the world. But their ultimate goal is 10,000 students.
This plan calls for 50 campuses, one for each state in the country.
[ ... ]
With a price tag around $60 million, this project is not coming cheap.
In November, Global Country went to the Smith County board of supervisors for approval of a bond.
The board unanimously voted to deny the bond, citing a lack of community support.
"It certainly casts a little less credibility on their bond issue," said Hi Lambert. "Since the state and the county's not behind the issue, it will probably make it a little harder for them to get some of the funds they might need, but it certainly will not keep them from getting it done, it just might slow the process a little."
Since the bond was denied, construction on the campus has slowed considerably.
"Last summer there were 50 to 60 workers working from sunup to sundown, now there might be 4 or 5 workers. They just try to maintain what they have put up," Brian Peterson said.
Many in Smith Center fear Global Country now plans to abandon the project and leave behind incomplete structures.
In November, Global Country went to the Smith County board of supervisors for approval of a bond.
The board unanimously voted to deny the bond, citing a lack of community support.
"It certainly casts a little less credibility on their bond issue," said Hi Lambert. "Since the state and the county's not behind the issue, it will probably make it a little harder for them to get some of the funds they might need, but it certainly will not keep them from getting it done, it just might slow the process a little."
Since the bond was denied, construction on the campus has slowed considerably.
"Last summer there were 50 to 60 workers working from sunup to sundown, now there might be 4 or 5 workers. They just try to maintain what they have put up," Brian Peterson said.
Many in Smith Center fear Global Country now plans to abandon the project and leave behind incomplete structures.
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