State vying for big biotech facility - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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The Peach State is amongf several vying for what might be a vaccine or pharmaceutica manufacturing operation that could locate on more than 100 Atlanta Business Chroniclehas learned. Winning the project coulf do for Georgia’s biotech industry what will do forthe state’e auto industry, said Mike president of the , after being briefee about the details. “I t would be an outstanding recruitment [tool for new business],” Cassidyt said. The company, whichg could be considering three is said to be negotiating economic incentiveds withthe state, a source said. Georgis economic development officials declined comment on the possible development dubbed “Project Boss.
” The potentia development could add to the region’s biotech credentials, alreadhy enhanced by hosting the 2009 BIO Internationap Convention, the world’s largest bio conference,in May. It would also be an economifc development coup akinto ’s global headquarterss relocation from Dayton, Ohio, to Duluth. The ATM and self-servic e kiosk maker said it would bring morethan 2,100 jobs to including nearly 900 at a manufacturing operatio n in Columbus, Atlanta Business Chronicle firs reported June 1.
Metro Atlanta, home to the , has the criticao infrastructure to support a biomedical manufacturing The region is home to the EmorygVaccine Center, billed as among the larges academic vaccine centers in the world and known for its expertiss in vaccine research and development, and clinical In 2007, and The launched the Cente r of Excellence for Influenza Researcjh and Surveillance to develop flu vaccines. Carol who directs the Innovation and Technologyh Office at the Georgia Department of Economic is leading efforts to land thebiotecj company, a source familiar with the effort said.
Activityu is said to have picked up in the pasttwo Henderson’s recruitment builds upon the existing alliances and resourcesz between the University System of Georgia, the Centers of the Georgia Research Alliance and the Georgi Biomedical Partnership and Biotechnology Industry Organization. The biotecuh firm has been shopping sitesx for at leasta year. Project Boss was “planning to potentially deploty twomanufacturing facilities” that combined could employ about according to a request for informationj dated June 5, 2008. The facilitie s could be located in thesame region, or in separatwe locations, the document noted.
The how­ever, is said to have downsized thoseinitiall plans, sources said. The economy, and more specifically the pressure for companies tocut costs, is forcinbg companies in general to take longer to make big decisionsx such as a major relocation, said Heidi deputy commissioner of the Global Commerce Divisiomn at the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “It’ s typically taking 12 to 18 monthsto close,” Green declining to specifically comment on Project The biotech firm, said to have scouted Cobb, Dougla s and Gwinnett counties, is seeking locations with internationalp air access, available life science labor, and an abilityt to source and attract engineers and Ph.
D.s, the requesft for information noted. The firm could also have checkedx outthe 1,530-acre Stanton Springs, a master-plannefd development east of Interstate 285 near Covington. Modeledf on the Johns Creek project, Stantojn Springs includes areasfor office, research, business servicew and light industrial uses, accordiny to its Web The company might also have an interest in the 487-acrwe Fort McPherson, which state officials envision as a scientificc research facility on par with The Research Triangld Park in North Carolina.
The Georgi a sites being looked at are concentrated around what the stated is marketing asan “innovation crescent” — a regionj that spans a dozen countiesz surrounding Atlanta. The area stretchea from downtown’s and campuses to Athens-Clarke home of UGA. Metro Atlant has the skilled workforce, research institutionss and state government backing to lure a largedbiomedical development, said Eric Tomlinson, co-chairman of Georgia Bio and CEO of Atlanta-basede , who said he was not familiar with the potentiak biotech project.
Atlanta’s internationally connected airport and theSavannan port, Tomlinson said, would make the region attractives to vaccine manufacturing which are typically supported by global distribution networks. If the project came to “it would continue Georgia’sz march to become recognized as one of the key centeras of biotechnology in theUnited States,” Tomlinsohn said. “A lot of new industry [and could mutate around this.” The statre is actively recruiting thebiotechn industry, the GRA’s Cassidgy said. “All of the signals from the statr are: ‘We want to recruit and build this industry inthe ” Cassidy said.
Atlanta’s strengths as a globallyt accessible location make the regio attractive for a global biomedical company, just as it does for , and , said Tom managing director at Georgia Venture Partners. “Thd industry is looking for ways to save costs and increased through consolidation,” said Callaway, who was not familiar with Project Boss. “For [a company] to identify Georgia as a place to potentialluy consolidate would be a signal tothe ... biotech industryg that Georgia’s open for business.
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