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There are eight main laboratories in the David H. Murdock Core
<br />Laboratoiy including Genomics, Proteomics, Metabolomics,
<br />Histoclremistry, Microscopy, Cell Culture and Transgenics, Clinical
<br />Discovery, and the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectrometer
<br />effort. This new corridor will not only become a vital
<br />part of the NCRC transportation support system, it will
<br />also likely become a major economic support corridor
<br />as well.
<br />Five years into the project, the NCRC development
<br />is moving, and the post recession pace has picked up.
<br />New restaurants have opened in downtown Kannapo-
<br />lis, and during the construction of the Core Lab sev-
<br />eral of the universities took up temporary space in the
<br />downtown retail district. Rowan- Cabarrus Community
<br />College (RCCC) established a career development cen-
<br />ter offering a variety of services to the general public.
<br />The Cabarrus Health Alliance, the local public health
<br />organization, is constructing its new facility near the
<br />downtown area, to be completed in early 2012.
<br />PREPARING THE LARGER COMMUNITY —
<br />TRANSFORMING KANNAPOLIS' CULTURE
<br />As the North Carolina Research Campus began to
<br />develop, a top priority for the city was to make sure
<br />the opportunities the campus presented could be
<br />maximized. The city retained Market Street Services
<br />from Atlanta, GA, to conduct an economic impact
<br />and Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats
<br />(SWOT) analysis. The results were startling.
<br />According to the impact analysis, the cam-
<br />pus could generate 37,000 jobs in the six -
<br />county region in about 25 years after full build -
<br />out. In fact, this report confirmed what city
<br />management suspected — that the campus has
<br />"the potential to become a major economic en-
<br />gine for the region and state." Although the
<br />economy has slowed greatly since the impact
<br />analysis was done in 2006, city officials believe
<br />the potential job creation still exists but over a
<br />much longer timeframe.
<br />The SWOT found, however, that the po-
<br />tential will not be realized unless the city
<br />takes well - planned steps to maximize its im-
<br />pacts. Market Street completed an in -depth analysis
<br />that compared Kannapolis to Cary, NC; Rockville, MD;
<br />and Rochester, MN. Each of these communities has an
<br />economic base strongly influenced over many years by
<br />biotechnology and other high -tech businesses. When
<br />city management compared Kannapolis to these places,
<br />areas were found where the entire community needed
<br />to improve in order to reach its full potential.
<br />These areas of improvement form the basis of Kan -
<br />napolis' transformation from a textile community to
<br />one that competes in a 21 century knowledge -based
<br />economy. In fact, Market Street Services found that the
<br />campus will not attract 37,000 jobs without the com-
<br />munity as a whole aggressively addressing some of the
<br />issues found in the comparison.
<br />The key issues that the SWOT analysis highlighted
<br />were related to:
<br />• Improving K -12 education,
<br />• Preparing the workforce for biotechnology- related
<br />jobs,
<br />• Improving quality of life by expanding amenities,
<br />• Promoting smart growth and creating a sense of
<br />place, and
<br />• Embracing diversity.
<br />Implementation of the SWOT analysis recommen-
<br />dations and related strategies has been an incremental
<br />process. A new biotechnology wing is being complet-
<br />ed at A.L. Brown High School. The new building will
<br />house current classes, such as genetics and biotechnol-
<br />ogy and Mandarin Chinese, and will offer new courses
<br />like molecular biology, engineering, and culinary arts.
<br />In addition, one of the local elementary schools will be
<br />converted into a STEM (science, technology, engineer-
<br />ing, and math) magnet program. A two - county effort to
<br />develop another STEM strategy is underway, facilitated
<br />by the statewide NC STEM initiative. The chambers of
<br />commerce, EDOs, and business leaders in both coun-
<br />ties are working with RCCC to develop this as an edu-
<br />cation and workforce development project.
<br />In April 2011, Kannapolis adopted a Center City
<br />Master Plan in an attempt to stimulate revitalization of
<br />the downtown area. In addition, the city established
<br />new citizens' commissions to advise City Council on
<br />According to the impact analysis, the campus
<br />could generate 37,000 jobs in the six - county
<br />region in about 25 years after full build -out. In
<br />fact, this report confirmed what city manage-
<br />ment suspected — that the campus has "the
<br />potential to become a major economic engine
<br />for the region and state."
<br />Attachment number 1
<br />Economic Development Journal / Spring 2011 / Volume 10 / Number 2 43
<br />1 -1 Page 603
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