The center is a direct response to local workforce needs in robotics, space science, and advanced manufacturing, with funding from the state, private donations, federal allocations and SPLOST funds.

With Georgia's Fiscal Year 2026 state budget finalized, Columbus State University will begin planning a $22.2 million center for advanced technologies—including robotics, engineering and space science—on its Main Campus. The facility, which will serve as the new home for its Coca-Cola Space Science Center, marks a significant milestone in the university's history and its commitment to cutting-edge science, engineering and workforce development.

"This is the first state-funded new academic building at Columbus State University in over 20 years," said President Stuart Rayfield. "This will be a multi-use facility—a hub for advanced technology and a pipeline for cultivating technologically literate students from kindergarten through college."

The approximately 36,000-square-foot building will be located on Columbus State's Main Campus, parallel to Interstate 185 across the parking lot from the Elizabeth Bradley Turner Center. It will support the university's rapidly growing robotics engineering program—which has expanded from just six students to more than 100 undergraduate and graduate majors in only a few years—and serve as a dynamic collaboration between Columbus State, the Muscogee County School District and key regional partners.

The building will provide:
• State-of-the-art instructional space and laboratories for Columbus State's Robotics Engineering program.
• An expanded and modern home for the Coca-Cola Space Science Center, which houses numerous aerospace galleries, boasts more than 300 NASA artifacts, and hosts more than 40,000 visitors annually.
• A regional hub for robotics education, testing and innovation.
• Space for local and regional robotics competitions, STEM programs and youth education that are hallmarks of the university's longstanding STEM partnerships with the Muscogee County School District.
• Opportunities for research and STEM-focused partnerships, particularly with Fort Benning and other industry stakeholders.
• A direct response to local workforce needs in robotics, space science and advanced manufacturing.
"This building exemplifies this community's commitment to partnerships and Columbus State University's role in educating students who will advance the technological needs of our region," said MSCD Superintendent Dr. David Lewis. "I look forward to expanding our relationship with CSU, and our ability to inspire the next generation of tech-savvy students through this tremendous facility."

The total project cost is estimated at $22.2 million. The state will provide $12.2 million, while the remaining $10 million derives from a combination of private donations to the university, a federal allocation to the Coca-Cola Space Science Center , and special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) funds through the Muscogee County School District.

"As we look toward the economic future of the Chattahoochee Valley and the state of Georgia, fields like robotics, advanced manufacturing and space science will be key," Rayfield said. "We are grateful to the governor, the University System of Georgia Board of Regents and our legislative delegation for their confidence in what we're building at Columbus State—and our role in meeting Georgia's workforce needs."

The last state-funded CSU academic facility was the Synovus Center for Commerce and Technology, which opened about 20 years ago. The Coca-Cola Space Science Center facility opened downtown in 1996 and will remain open until it transitions to its new home. A timeline has not yet been established for the construction or relocation of the Coca-Cola Space Science Center and the University Police Department.