1995: Dubose Associates, architects for the college, recommends both the Mohegan campus and the Norwich Hospital site for a new campus.

1997: Gov. John G. Rowland supports putting the college at the Norwich Hospital site in Preston.

1999: The state hires Spaulding and Slye Colliers, a Boston-based marketing firm, to determine the best use for the hospital site. Meanwhile, the Norwich Community Development Corp. submits an $88.9 million plan to consolidate the campus on Chestnut Street.

November 2000: Spaulding and Slye unveils a plan that would include a 40-acre Three Rivers Community College campus, a corporate office park, a residential area and public marina. Norwich officials oppose the move, saying the city could lose up to $200,000 in state aid if the college leaves.

December 2000: Norwich businessman Ron Aliano proposes a harbor location for the campus. Council later names him preferred developer of a downtown college, citing possible economic spin-offs for the area.

December 2001: A committee of the state Community-Technical Colleges board of trustees recommends consolidation on New London Turnpike (the "Thames Valley" site), saying a downtown college would be too expensive to build and too small a site to meet the college's requirements. Trustees approve the plan, pending environmental and traffic studies.

January 2002: Mayor Arthur Lathrop meets with the governor on a possible Chestnut Street location for the campus.

May 2002: The state Office of Policy and Management releases a report calling Mahan Drive the best place to consolidate the campus, saying it could accommodate growth and have less impact on residential neighbors than the Thames Valley location.

June 2002: Rowland calls the downtown campus "history" and urges parties to work toward a solution for Mahan Drive.

September 2002: Three hundred people show up at Park Congregational Church to protest the consolidation at Mahan Drive, citing traffic and flooding issues at the location.

October 2002: Rowland tells a Norwich Bulletin editorial board meeting he would support a downtown campus if the community supports it and the campus is cost-effective. The governor's office later says Rowland was misquoted and reaffirms his support of the Mahan Drive location.

July 2003: City Council passes a resolution opposing the consolidation of the campus at Mahan Drive, saying it wants to work with the governor to find a better location. Rowland threatens to move the campus outside Norwich. Three Rivers College President Grace Jones says she will ask the governor to approve a plan to take the campus elsewhere.

October 2003: The governor announces Three Rivers Community College will be consolidated at the Thames Valley campus on New London Turnpike.

Sources: The Norwich Bulletin; Three Rivers Community College