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PORTLAND - The new Cornell Lake Erie Research and Extension Laboratory on Route 20 in Portland was the center of attention Tuesday as the official ribbon cutting ceremony of the $5.4 million state funded facility took place.

It attracted a room full of Cornell representatives, politicians and grape growers.

NY State Sen. Cathy Young (R-Olean) and state Assemblyman Bill Parment (D-North Harmony) shared the spotlight as both were identified as being responsible for obtaining the state funding for this state of the art facility.

It features 50 acres of vineyards for scientists to conduct research to increase grape productivity for wine and juice industries.

Research will also be conducted to develop economically and environmentally sound, sustainable vineyard practices.

Parment and Young agree on the purpose of the new facility and its value to the grape industry.

"I'm really excited and impressed with this building with its function and purpose.

"It's a great day for the grape industry," he said.

He also agreed with Young's assessment on the value it provides on the use of tax dollars.

"It's money well spent and will return its value to the community and the grape industry," Young said.

"The taxpayers deserve a big thank you for their willingness to invest in a facility like this - the lab's research will repay the taxpayer multiple times," Parment said.

The state-funded facility provides researchers with state-of-the-art equipment to study the

science of vines and wines.

Research and extension staff from Cornell and Pennsylvania State University, visiting scientists, and growers will conduct field and laboratory research designed to improve production practices and enhance profitability in the grape, wine, and juice industries vital to the Lake Erie region's economy.

The lab reflects a century of accomplishment by Cornell research and

extension programs in service to Western New York vineyards and

processing businesses.

Since 1909, Cornell has maintained the Vineyard Research Laboratory in nearby Fredonia, which claims a rich history of viticulture advancements in such areas as vineyard management and production systems, grape breeding, pest control, and mechanical harvesting.

Terry Bates, Director of the new laboratory, has achieved an international reputation for excellence in viticulture research focusing on vineyard management and innovative viticultural practices.

Bates is highly respected for his contributions to viticultural research, especially vineyard nutrient management, effective pruning techniques and vineyard mechanization.

In his remarks to the gathered audience, Bates referred to Nelson Shaulis and Fred Taschenberg, two men who became leaders in the grape industry and who worked at the Fredonia Laboratory, which was initiated in 1909 with a $10,000 state grant.

It functioned in a converted green house on 30 acres of vineyards.

This old facility is currently for sale and Cornell officials hope to sell it to a private developer so the property can be returned to the community's tax base.

The proceeds from this sale will be placed in a fund with the interest it produces used to finance projects at the new facility in Portland.

As they stood outside the new laboratory Tuesday, Portland residents Jim and Penny Deakin said they found the new facility exciting.

They were the former owners of the property Cornell purchased for the research laboratory.

Saying she feels the lab vineyard is located on what she considers the best land, Penny Deakin said, "Now it will safely be vineyard land forever."