PASCO — At 44, Thomas Verret of Kennewick is living his dream by studying automotive technology at Columbia Basin College.

"It took a long time before I was able to go to school," Verret said. "It is like a blessing to be here."

He said he felt doubly blessed Thursday as he showed off the new facility he gets to work in now that the college's Center for Career and Technical Education is open.

Students, CBC administrators and community leaders celebrated the dedication of the $20.1 million building on the college's Pasco campus. But there was the slightest bittersweet taste to the revelries as officials acknowledged that this likely will be the last project of its kind built on the campus with state money for quite some time.

CBC President Rich Cummins said the college had to scale back the building somewhat after about $1 million was cut from construction funding after the bottom fell out of the economy in late 2008.

The Legislature has wrestled with gaps of more than $12 billion in the 2009-11 biennium as revenues failed to meet projected expenses.

So the Legislature cut billions from the state budget, along with transferring money out of the capital budget -- which pays for things such as construction and equipment -- and into the operating budget.

CBC's plans for the center took another hit when the Legislature failed to include operating money for the building in the college's capital budget allocation -- as had been traditional.

Cummins said it will cost the college about $500,000 per year to operate and maintain the 79,000-square-foot building, which houses automotive technology, manufacturing technology, welding technology, sustainable energy and nuclear technology programs.

While Cummins was optimistic the operating money will be included in the next supplemental budget adopted by the Legislature, by the time that happens CBC will have spent about $200,000 of its shrinking operations budget on the building.

"This is another unfunded cut on us," he said.

But the mood Thursday was jubilant, as dozens gathered to take a look at the building, which many described as "state of the art."

Dom Sansotta, CEO of Washington River Protection Solutions, said he was excited to be part of the dedication ceremony -- and a partnership with CBC that pays for the nuclear technology program.

No state money was used to create the nuclear program, which started in fall 2009 and trains students in various facets of nuclear operations. All of the funding for the program came from Hanford contractors, Energy Northwest, the Department of Energy and student tuition.

Sansotta said Washington River Protection Solutions already has hired students from the program, and is glad it now has a home in the Center for Career and Technical Education.

"We believe this program will be critical for the future of the Hanford site," he said.

He described the dedication ceremony Thursday as a "celebration of dreams" -- the dreams not only of CBC administrators and faculty, but also students and the Tri-City community.

Robert Brewer, a student in the manufacturing technology program, said his dream is to one day teach others in the new building.

Currently a state corrections officer, Brewer said he always has been the kind of person who takes things apart to see how they work -- and then try to put them back together in a way that works better.

He said coming to CBC was "like coming home," and he's grateful for the larger classroom and lab spaces than those previously used by his program in other CBC buildings.

"I think it's a privilege and an honor to be part of it, to watch CBC grow," Brewer said.

Verret was excited to show off a workstation where he is rebuilding parts of an old Camaro as he pursues his associate's degree in applied sciences.

The new space for the automotive technology program offers not only more room, but also the chance to work with more sophisticated machinery and computers that will help him stay up to date on the latest advances in automobile engine design.

"As the technology is evolving ... being able to keep up is important," he said. "Everything here is a plus and a bonus."