GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — The ribbon has been cut at the Nebraska National Guard’s new $18 million Grand Island Readiness Center.

State and local leaders were on hand Tuesday for the formal opening of the center, where soldiers have been stationed for a few weeks.

The more than 92,000-square-foot building replaces the Nebraska National Guard’s armory in western Grand Island. The state is accepting bids to purchase the old armory.

The readiness center will be used to train new and experienced soldiers in aviation and has several classrooms and two recruiting offices.

It also has a drill hall to be used as an assembly space for heavy equipment training and a high-tech briefing room, where soldiers will begin each day.