AT&T Gives $1M For Infantry Museum

AT&T, one of the nation's largest communications holdings companies, on Thursday became the latest corporate giant to donate $1 million for the construction of the new National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center at Patriot Park.The gift follows on the heels of a $6 million grant, which was included in the passage of the recent Defense Appropriations bill. The latest donation brings fundraising efforts to $77 million, just $9 million short of the goal. We're extremely pleased to help bring this impressive landmark to Georgia, said AT&T's regional manager Terry Smith as he presented a check to Jerry White, the president and chairman of the National Infantry Foundation. It's a great honor for our company to help make this project become a reality. White, a former commanding general at Fort Benning, thanked Smith, saying this gift not only affirms AT&T's commitment to the communities it serves, it demonstrates the company's allegiance to Soldiers and their families and the sacrifices they make for our freedom.Immediately following the check presentation, AT&T officials and other invited guests took a hard-hat tour of the 190,000-square-foot facility, which is scheduled to open to the public next November. While the foundation is closing in on its goal of $86 million, White cautions that the significant gifts such as this are becoming harder to come by. It's never easy when you're picking the high fruit. White and the foundation's Greg Camp escorted the group, which included guest Myriam Hallock, widow of retired Army Col. Richard Hallock, who earlier donated $1 million of Hallock Foundation funds to the museum. The group went through what will be the main entrance of the museum and into the building, which is about 50 percent completed. White and Camp pointed out where the 3-D IMAX theater, which will be one of three in the state of Georgia, will be located as well as the proposed gift shop and a 175-seat restaurant. The AT&T donation will help our collective dreams come true White said. I don't think there are any doubters out there now. This facility will have a $50 million impact on the city every year. It will attract 500,000 visitors a year and it will provide 500 new jobs. But most of all, it will honor our Soldiers. White later confirmed that the foundation is attempting to line up two hotel and a restaurant chains to build on Patriot Park's 200-acre campus.