Local, state and international officials celebrated the opening of CERNET's first United States office, the Massachusetts Education and Research Base in Marlborough, Massachusetts.

CERNET, the China Education and Research Network, plans to use the 280 Locke Drive building for technology research, business training and university preparation. A Cernet subsidiary purchased the former Verizon training facility last month for $9.07 million from GHP Office Purchasing of White Plains, N.Y.