COD Halts Plan To Open Cathedral City Automotive Learning Center

PALM DESERT, CA — A College of the Desert program that sought to bring an automotive and advanced transportation learning center to Cathedral City has been shelved, it was announced Wednesday.

Instead, College of the Desert will evaluate alternative locations for its "Roadrunner Motors" program. The decision to choose a new site for the state-of-the-art facility came after a fiscal review determined costs at the planned location were "exorbitantly higher" than previously anticipated, according to a news release from the college.

“I take my responsibility for managing dollars entrusted to us by the community very seriously,” said COD Superintendent/President Martha Garcia, Ed.D. “It’s important to understand how the decisions we make today can affect us financially five, 10, or even 20 years from now. I am committed to ensuring that we remain responsible with public dollars.”

The facility planned on Perez Road, adjacent to the Cathedral City Auto Center, was announced early last year and was slated to feature a modernized lab and classrooms with cutting-edge technology and emerging innovations.

College of the Desert is committed to identifying possible site alternatives and will provide location recommendations in the coming months, according to the news release.

“We believe strongly in the Roadrunner Motors concept and are confident we will find a solution that furthers the interest of our students,” added Garcia.

Roadrunner Motors’ courses provide industry training and skills and create a pipeline for jobs in the region, connecting students to local opportunities, according to the college.