There's nothing like a deadline to motivate people to action. The deadline from Dow Chemical to donate key elements of the South Charleston Technology Park, the former home of thousands of chemical engineers and Ph.D.'s during the glory days of "Chemical Valley", has rallied Kanawha Valley business and community leaders to elevate the message that our state needs critical technology and R&D infrastructure in order to thrive in today's knowledge-driven economy.
A fast-growing Facebook initiative to "Save the Tech Park" has demonstrated the effectiveness of rallying public support for critical technology-based economic development (TBED) initiatives such as this. What was once a slow moving effort has grown to warp speed as the threat of having millions of dollars of valuable lab space demolished grew.
There have been many thorny political and legal issues involved, but the clear communications effort - lead by the Charleston Area Alliance, the Chemical Alliance Zone, MATRIC and other key stakeholders - has been impressive. We certainly encourage all interested parties to let their voice be heard ASAP (there is a decision due Friday, February 26). We hope that in addition to saving the tech park, this energy level will continue and that a new sense of urgency to build new economy, high-tech (and high paying) jobs in West Virginia continues to grow!
Read the joint Alliance/MATRIC/CAZ resolution
Read the joint Alliance/MATRIC/CAZ op-ed
Click here to become a Facebook fan
From the Charleston Area Alliance e-newsletter:
Today, the Alliance reaffirmed its commitment to saving and expanding the South Charleston Technology Park as Governor Manchin hosted another meeting to discuss the details and logistics of accepting Dow Chemical's donation of property and buildings at the site to the state.
The stakeholders are dedicated to making it happen. The Governor asked for support from the private sector and received this message from the Charleston Area Alliance: "We are the private sector and we fully support this project."
The Alliance is speaking for more than 600 members and the business community as a whole when we pledge to continue to invest time, expertise and resources to realize the potential of the tech park. This project represents the region's most significant economic development opportunity in decades. We stand ready to work with partners such as the Chemical Alliance Zone and Advantage Valley to market the property and its assets, attract new companies to the site and help it become a research commercialization hub for the East Coast, as well as support MATRIC in its continued growth.
We commend the Governor and West Virginia Higher Policy Commission Chancellor Brian Noland for their commitment to the "new" tech park and their diligence in gathering and analyzing the information needed to make a final decision on such a complex project. Through their determined leadership, West Virginia is working to set its own course for the future, rather than let others set it for us. Accepting the donation would be a major undertaking for the state, but the potential payoff is well worthwhile.
In media interviews before today's meeting, several young MATRIC scientists said they would be forced to move from the region if the tech park closed. Five hundred jobs hang in the balance as the March 1 deadline looms, and we can't stand on the sideline while the Charleston-Metro region stands to lose so many quality workers, particularly young professionals who represent West Virginia's future.
But saving the tech park isn't just about saving jobs -- it's about creating jobs. The facilities hold the promise of thousands more. We envision a globally-competitive innovation center where research is commercialized to meet global challenges and help West Virginia industry stay competitive in a changing world.
The Governor has affirmed his belief in the vision of such a center with a higher education component, a model that has been a blueprint for success in other parts of the country. Thanks to the Governor, Chancellor Noland, Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology Paul Hill and others within the Governor's staff, this vision is closer to reality.
The citizens of the Kanawha Valley and of the state been instrumental in keeping this vision alive. More than 1,000 have joined a Facebook page urging leaders to take immediate action to prevent the demolition of the tech park. Nearly 900 more signed an online petition. In a grassroots effort that gained momentum practically overnight, they brought this project to the forefront of the state's public policy agenda.
We have much to do. We call on everyone committed to our future to continue to communicate and work together to maximize the potential of the world-class facility to bring innovation to the marketplace and create new opportunities for West Virginia's coal, natural gas, chemical and other leading industries.
More and more people are seeing the vision. Working together, we will make it happen.
Post new comment