BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Two years ago, the Department of Veterans Affairs broke ground on a nursing facility for disabled veterans. Two years later, construction on the new Robert E. Spiller Bowling Green Veterans Center is nearing completion.

The facility will be the fifth one in the state and is on 25 acres of land at Kentucky Transpark. Rep. Michael Meredith, R-Oakland, said the facility will house up to 90 veterans who are older with mental and physical disabilities.

Meredith said, “The need is going to be there, it’s going to be finding the staff to staff the facility, so we can get it to full capacity and grow the facility to the original 90 beds we’d hope for in the future.”

The facility will create 120 new jobs. The nursing home will have a community-living concept.

“Which means that each veteran will have their own suite, private suite with living area, and access to the common areas as well. But, it will be a very private setting for our veterans,” said Meredith.

According to Sen. Mike Wilson, R-Bowling Green, one reason they built the facility in South-Central Kentucky is because of the nearly 40,000 veterans who might need it in the area.

Wilson said, “It’s a facility that provides those last years for our veterans. We call it a nursing home, but it’s a place they can be cared for in those finals years.”

The center cost over $50 million to build. Service officer Rob Holdsworth works with veterans every day, and say’s facilities like these are vital for older veterans, who have sacrificed their freedom for their own country.

Holdsworth said, “Having a facility like this nearby for local veterans that ultimately could stay closer to their family, while getting those elder care veteran services, that’s huge.”

Though the work is not done yet, the facility is approximately 60% complete, and is expected to be finished in December.