August 4, 2003

BATTELLE AND OKLAHOMA INDUSTRIES AUTHORITY TO DEVELOP TECHNOLOGY CENTER NEAR TINKER AIR FORCE BASE

The Oklahoma Industries Authority (OIA) has signed an agreement with Battelle Oklahoma, LLC to develop a private aviation Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul Technology Center (MROTC) adjacent to Tinker Air Force Base.

The multi-phased, $600 million project will have the capacity to house some of the current Tinker overhaul work, relieving congestion and freeing space on base for new work. In addition, commercial aviation industry and education/training institutes are expected to locate at the new Center.

The 350-plus acre MROTC will be located across Douglas Boulevard from Tinker, just east of the current base boundary. Once it is fully operational, the MROTC is projected to create approximately 1,000 new jobs and to elevate Oklahoma's status as an aviation maintenance hub.

As a public trust, OIA has been involved in nearly 50 large industrial projects of similar visibility in Oklahoma County - all designed to promote and encourage development of industry and commerce in the county and to strengthen the economy of the area.

Under its agreement with Battelle Oklahoma, OIA will serve as "owner" of the MROTC. This role includes providing funds for acquiring land, constructing the buildings, and maintaining the MROTC properties.

Battelle Oklahoma, which completed an Integrated Business Strategy for the MROTC in late 2002, will plan and oversee the land acquisition, construction, and operation of the MROTC. It will hold a master operating lease with OIA, subleasing portions of the MROTC to the U.S. government, private tenants, and educational institutions.

Battelle Oklahoma is a subsidiary of Battelle, a Columbus, Ohio-based non-profit charitable trust. Battelle has a 74-year history that includes managing and operating facilities for government and industry as well as developing and commercializing technologies.

Now that the agreement with OIA has been signed, Battelle Oklahoma will begin immediately acquiring land and initiating site preparations. Preliminary estimates call for groundbreaking in 2004 with overhaul, maintenance, and training underway by 2006.

According to Chip Carter, Community Relations Manager for Battelle in Oklahoma City, the agreement with OIA is an enormous milestone in the creation of the MROTC.

"By reaching an agreement with the OIA, one of our state's oldest and most respected economic development authorities, we have helped ensure that we have the absolute best team in place to bring this potentially huge new development to Oklahoma City."

Carter added that, "OIA is made up of some of Oklahoma's most distinguished business leaders - they believe in the tremendous benefits the MROTC will provide both in terms of creating new jobs as well as ensuring Tinker's role in our nation's defense for decades to come."

For more information, please contact Chip Carter, Battelle Community Relations Manager, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, (405) 231-1793, CarterD@battelle.org, or Katy Delaney, Media Relations Manager, at (614) 424-5544, delaneyk@battelle.org. Battelle's web site is available at www.battelle.org.