Regional Partners to Market Mid-Michigan as Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) Project Gets Underway at MSU
Several mid-Michigan regional partners will collaborate in a strategic marketing effort surrounding the development of the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) being constructed on the Michigan State University (MSU) campus. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the signing of the Cooperative Agreement formally establishing the FRIB project. The cities of East Lansing and Lansing, the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce (LRCC), Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) and Prima Civitas will co-develop a marketing program in an effort to maximize the economic development opportunities FRIB potentially represents for the region.
"We need a long-term marketing strategy that lets potential FRIB employees and their families know about the high quality of life we enjoy in this region," said Jim van Ravensway, Director Planning and Community Development for the City of East Lansing. "Our region has a great story to communicate when it comes to affordable housing options, good schools, safe walkable neighborhoods and outstanding options for culture and recreation."
The DOE announced in December that MSU had been selected to design and establish the FRIB, a cutting-edge research facility to advance the understanding of rare nuclear isotopes. FRIB is expected to take a decade to design and build at a cost of $550 million. FRIB will generate an estimated 400 jobs, including 180 positions at the facility and 220 in related industries.
Regional partners involved in the marketing of FRIB say that promoting the rich community assets in the region will be vital in attracting the best researchers and scientists to the area.
Officials also recognize the enormous potential economic spin-off impact that FRIB could bring to the region in the way of new companies and technologies that could be developed in the region. The FRIB marketing group will develop strategies to identify businesses that could benefit by locating or expanding near the lab.
"Just looking at companies, such as Niowave here in Lansing and another Michigan State University startup, Innov-X, offers a glimpse of the potential for exciting new technologies and jobs that could be developed in this region as a result of the FRIB," said LRCC President and CEO Tim Daman. "We want to convince these new companies of the wisdom of locating here instead of another region in the country."
The FRIB marketing team will also consider strategies to attract the maximum number of users from industry and government who will visit the region to take advantage of FRIB's advanced research capabilities.
"The importance of business leaders and scientists from around the world who will come into the region to conduct research at FRIB should not be overlooked," said Bob Trezise, President Lansing Economic Development Corporation. "Those visitors will generate significant business and economic opportunities for the Lansing region."
Partners involved in the FRIB marketing effort say they plan an aggressive schedule of meetings in order to develop and begin implementing a comprehensive strategy in the next few months.
