GRAND RAPIDS — Betten Imports was scheduled to break ground at 2:30 p.m. today on a new automotive retail and service facility on 28^th Street SE.

The 55,000-square-foot structure will be located on 8.2 acres at 5901 28^th St. SE, between the Cascade Wal-Mart and the Esplanade Center.

Opening is scheduled for October.

A new state-of-the-art showroom will be included, as will service and customer service facilities with such features as 40 service bays, a coffee bar and a customer convenience center with telephones and computers with Internet access.

Marion “Red” Betten in 1981 purchased the business at 830 28^th St. at the corner of Eastern Avenue

Betten Imports represents manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Volkswagen, and its staff has more than 750 years of combined experience in the automotive retail industry.