As the Chamber and the Council for Economic Outreach continue to execute our area’s five-year economic development strategy, a strong opportunity looms ahead that, in my mind, is one of the most significant opportunities this region has seen in the past several decades.
After four years of planning through the Envision Alachua process, we are now actively marketing the opportunities this plan can provide our region to companies that will create the actual jobs (30,000 jobs are estimated over the life of the plan). I’ve had many discussions about the plan over the past several months and have been fortunate to take part as both an observer and speaker in several sessions where information has been shared.
My message to our regional residents is to be educated fully on all the facts surrounding this plan and understand what this opportunity really means to the region. The companies we are speaking with are validating the significance of Envision Alachua to the future of our area.
During several recent speaking engagements, I shared a true story regarding the Envision Alachua plan that occurred before I ever arrived in Gainesville. The day the press release went out in Austin stating that I had accepted the position as vice president of economic development at the Gainesville Chamber, the first phone call I received was from one of our regional business leaders who was a key player in almost all the significant opportunities that propelled greater Austin to the city it has become — MCC, SEMATCH, Samsung, the list goes on. His call was to say congratulations and to emphasize that he was aware of the Envision Alachua plan and the Plum Creek opportunity, and he wanted to highlight to me that it was one of the most significant opportunities he had seen around the country. Having 7,600 acres of land to convert to employment-oriented mixed use in a town that houses a major research university like the University of Florida is a rare combination that can easily spell success if marketed correctly — I believe his actual description was “wow.” And he should know.
Much has been said about the opportunities this development will provide to East Gainesville, and I believe that to be completely true. But, I would say without hesitation that it’s much bigger than one side of the county or city versus another. If early indications of the type of industries interested in a research and science park in agriculture, advanced manufacturing, clean technology and more are at all accurate, the opportunities spread way beyond one area or another — they mobilize every service sector including real estate, medical, dental, legal and all professional services, as well as construction, both commercial and residential, and retail.
Very simply, this is a game changer, the type that only comes along once in multiple decades and, when handled properly, can give an energy and notoriety to a region that changes the landscape in a positive way forever. Please know this opportunity belongs to you; as an economic development professional, I encourage you to read and understand all the facts of this opportunity for your region.
In late April, the Council for Economic Outreach organized a delegation of 18 regional leaders from the City of Gainesville, Alachua County, the University of Florida, Santa Fe College and regional business leadership. We marketed the opportunities of our area to several multinational corporations that were eager to discuss publicprivate partnerships for research collaborations that could be established in our area. Their interest was a strong validation of the opportunities the Envision Alachua team is describing. Let’s work to make this happen and bring prosperity to our entire region — it’s time and you own the process, so make it happen!