COD Promotes New West Valley Campus In Palm Springs

College of the Desert President Jerry Patton unveiled a sign Tuesday promoting the new West Valley campus.

It’s scheduled to open in 2014 in Palm Springs.

Resident Jo Dauphine supports the new campus. “People will be able to have no excuse for getting higher education,” she said.

But for Ana Serrano, of Desert Hot Springs, the sign is a bitter memory of “what could have been.” Her hometown lost to Palm Springs in hosting the new campus.

“It’s sad they didn’t give the opportunity to Desert Hot Springs,” she said.

President Patton said Palm Springs won because Desert Hot Springs wasn’t prepared.

“At that point in time, they weren’t quite ready with the land,” he said. “They were working with a developer, also. That didn’t materialize quick enough.”

Desert Hot Springs Mayor Yvonne Parks agreed. “The land wasn’t fully secured. And second, they said it was too windy,” she said.

Mayor Parks displayed good sportsmanship by showing up at the sign’s unveiling.

The 120-acre campus will be built along the northwest corner of Indian Canyon Dr. and Tramview Rd. It includes a 60-acre “Green Park” site where energy will be generated.

But, there’s still hope for Desert Hot Springs. President Patton said the college is looking into building a satellite campus there.