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oocities.com/techpark2001
Attention Citizens of Springfield and Southwest
Missouri, Business Owners, Venture
Capitalists, Angels, World Investors,
We have a Positive Issue for you to get involved in!
The Development of a TECHNOLOGY PARK in Springfield.
Please look at
NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS RELATED TO ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH PARKS
Letter to the Editor---Springfield News-Leader
Ballot Issue is about our Future
A grass roots group called technologyparks 2001 is working on gathering
signatures to possibly put the development of a technology park on the
ballot in the Springfield area. They have already secured over 4,000
signatures. Your paper reported a story last week that said the yearly
city survey which just came out says 90% of the respondents wanted the city
to encourage businesses to expand or bring new jobs to town.
My understanding is that technology parks do research and development, job
training, and attract technology companies. Tying together education with
good job creation would be a good thing for today and tomorrow.
“This is about diversifying our economy in southwest Missouri and staying up
with the times” says Steven Reed, Area Organizer.
Sincerely,
Anita Ball
1672 E. Meadowmere
Springfield, MO 65804
417-881-7845
We have over 4,000 signatures which is over the amount needed to get on the
ballot in Springfield. We are working on more gathering signatures.
State Senator Doyle Childers says that for years the colleges and
universities of the area have talked about working together---this is the
kind of magnet that could help that happen.
WHY IT WILL SUCCEED
- Central Location
Our central location in the United States makes
Technology Parks a natural for the area.
- Talent Galore
Springfield Missouri has a metro area including over
120,000 people and the southwest
Missouri area includes over 500,000 people.
- World Renowned Colleges and Universities
We have many world renowned Colleges and
Universities including: College of the Ozarks,
Southwest Missouri State University, Drury, Evangel,
and others.
We need stable, better paying jobs in our area and that is why actions are
underway to put the development of a "Technology Park"
on the ballot in Springfield.
We have over 1,700
signatures which is the amount needed to get on the
ballot in Springfield. We are working on gathering
signatures up until July 4, 2000.
This is a very positive issue which you will be proud to be involved in.
WHAT ARE TECHNOLOGY PARKS
Technology parks called “INCUBATORS” are when
educational groups which help set them up partnership with corporations for
job creation, job training, research and development, etc.
A Technology Park could be so important. It could help with job training
and creating jobs of the future; while doing research
and development.
Medical, Environmental, Electronics, Bio-Tech and
Communications are some of the areas companies are
involved in. This will benefit people of all ages.
Some local supporters have already suggested a possible area of study for
the Park could include: the water shed and Eco system, and environmental
impact of sustainability of the Ozarks with the tourism and growth of
southwest Missouri.
There are around 200 of these successful parks either existing or
being developed worldwide. Georgia, Minnesota, Texas,
North Carolina (reported to be a good job-goldmine) which generates money
for all people in the economy.
Springfield leads the way in job
creation in our area. Cities like: Ozark, Nixa, Willard, Ash
Grove, Republic, Billings and other do not have the
staff, time, or money to create jobs. Furthermore:
so many young people leave this area because we do not
have enough good jobs for our college graduates.
A few web site examples of successful Technology Parks
-
The 7,000-acre Research Triangle Park in North Carolina is the largest
research park in the United States, and is home to 136
organizations. RTP has over 43,000 full-time employees
entering the Park each day. Recognized internationally
as a center for cutting-edge research and development,
the Park is owned and developed by the private,
not-for-profit Research Triangle Foundation. The
Research Triangle itself is named for the Triangle
formed by the three universities: Duke University at
Durham, the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill, and North Carolina State University in Raleigh.
- The Aberdeen Science and
Technology Park in the UK
has 750 full time employees and 53 tenants which average
15 employees or more.
- William's Ridge
Technology Park in Nevada.
- UNM Maui High Performance Computing Center
The Maui High Performance Computing Center (MHPCC)in Hawaii is a national
supercomputing center established in 1993 by the University of New Mexico
under a Cooperative Agreement with the Air Force Research Laboratory. A
leader in scalable parallel computing, MHPCC supports a base of 1,200 users
from Department of Defense (DoD), government, commercial, and academic
organizations.
- Long Island High Technology
Incubator in New York has 24 companies which call the Incubator home,
with seven in campus space, and six in our highly successful
"Incubator Without Walls" program.
- Davis Technology Campus
in Davis, California is a proposed Park with an intelligent and progressive concept
that can support the long-range social and economic goals of the Davis
community. They list the following benefits:
- Economic Vitality Davis Technology Campus can respond to the
city's expressed desire to improve its commercial tax base. It can also
strengthen the economic position of Yolo county.
- Education Enrichment The Davis Technology Campus can promote UC
Davis and its research and development accomplishments through partnerships
with industry.
- Community Well-being DTC can provide expanding businesses with a
campus for biotechnology, computer software, ancillary health care services
and other environmentally sensitive industries. These industries have already
demonstrated their ability to contribute to the quality of life in Davis.
- Employment Balance Davis Technology Campus can provide local
high-wage employment opportunities appropriate for an educated community. It
can open the door to greater job diversification.
- International Impact DTC can welcome worldwide, technology
industries that are respected not only for their innovations, but also for
conducting environmentally-conscious manufacturing activities.
Sheffield Science & Technology Parks in the UK.
SwedePark in Sweden.
The organization supports ventures within knowledge-based and
high-tech businesses. New technology generates new jobs.
Important dynamic effects of new companies and job
opportunities created in the parks have spread to
the whole Swedish industry.
Bemidji Technology Park in Minnesota. As a cooperative effort between Paul Bunyan Telephone and
Beltrami Electric Cooperative, two independent utility companies
with a commitment to technology and northern Minnesota, Bemidji
Technology Park tenants have access to the latest technologies
available.
more to come...
WHAT WE NEED
1. We need a Think Tank to help develop our Campaign.
- Craig Hosmer, State Representative, says "I agree it is
a worthwhile project."
- Gary Gibson, Mayor Pro Tem of Springfield, says "We need high-tech
companies to come to the area to diversify the economy."
- Elise Crain of Ozark is one of our
supporters and she thinks this would be a big plus for
the area.
- Paul W. Roberts, the President of FocusTech
who works with Microsoft as a Certified Solutions
Provider at Chesterfield Village says "A technology park
would create obvious benefits for a
company such as Focus Tech."
- In a recent News-Leader
story about Way2Bid, one of the operators, who used to
live in Silicon Valley, stated "We have MORE talent
in THIS area."
- We have talked with a company called
Aristotle, which will, for a minimum of $5,000, put
streamers on all websites of Springfield voters. They
have handled Gore, Bush and McCain campaigns.
2. The initial success of Technology Parks 2001 is dependent on communication.
Getting the word out, getting citizens involved, getting businesses and higher education involved and excited about this positive issue. To this end we are developing a web site and are asking for donations to help with the initial production.
We have a goal of raising $5,000 to create a web site with impact.
It will include purchase of an internet address, online databases which will
make it easy for interested people to sign up to volunteer, join our supporter list,
subscribe to a
weekly email newsletter, or even make a monetary donation online.
Our web site will also include an area for the latest news which will
communicate progess in the most timely fashion, calendar with timeline for
planned and future campaign items, supporter lists, links to successful
Technology Parks in other areas of the country, and a Think Tank forum for
new ideas. It also includes the ability to email everyone in the subscriber
database to further ongoing communication.
JOIN OUR OFFICIAL SUPPORTER LIST NOW!
This is the kind of issue that will never see the
light of day unless it is forced onto the Public
Debate Table.
It is a Futuristic Project---It is
about Diversifying Our Economy!
Many older people
sign this petition ahead of the younger people because
they know it is about the future of the young people.
It is about creating an economy and employment along
with education and research to help create a better
life for many of the people who will be coming up and
people of today.
Anyone wanting to help with the
Campaign should call 417-724-2330 We need general help with the
campaign and its development. Join the Think Tank,
which will be doing research---TODAY!
Anyone wanting
to volunteer help can e-mail Steven Lloyd Reed.
We are also working on fund raising. Checks can be
made out to Technology Parks 2001. Invest funds for
the campaign---get in on the ground floor.
Monetary donations can be made out to Technology Parks 2001 for any amount
($10, $50, $1,000) and mailed to 101 S. Rice #16, Nixa MO 65714.
Membership dues for one year are $10.
Thanks for visiting. Please come again.
And tell a friend about this website.
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