Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
ODON – Over the next 10 years, WestGate Technology Park has the potential to capture nearly $2.7 billion in capital investment, create 3,750 jobs and deliver a $15 billion economic impact on the region.
That’s not mere hype. It’s a strategic vision to develop what remains a rural area into a defense ecosystem. Leaders and stakeholders from three counties are working to bring that vision to reality.
Bryant Niehoff is one of those working behind the scenes. Niehoff is CEO of the Uplands Science and Technology Foundation, a nonprofit research foundation established a few years ago to support the vitality of the WestGate@Crane Tech Park.
He spoke at the December WestGate First Tuesday event that wrapped up the speaker series for 2024. His talk, titled “Behind the Scenes of WestGate@Crane: Building an Innovation Community” provided an overview of efforts that are bringing this vision to life. He discussed the process behind securing funding for the tech park, attracting new companies, and the challenges of planning, designing and building the necessary infrastructure for WestGate as well as the amenities that people want in a community.
WestGate spans three counties – Martin, Greene and Daviess.
Nearly 1,000 people now work in the tech park’s 21 buildings; Niehoff pointed out that not that long ago, barely 100 worked there.
The WestGate of the future won’t be an overnight success.
“Projects like WestGate are 10 to 20 years in the making,” Niehoff said.
Honing in on a vision to grow the defense sector includes determining what can and should be in the region as well as what shouldn’t. Infrastructure is just one part of the plan and will require significant investment.
Through 2023, $114.6 million has been invested in the tech park, advancing an approximately $30 million infrastructure project within the technology park that will increase water and wastewater capacity and distribution.
WestGate is attracting companies that are working with Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane on microelectronics and hypersonics.
Building a team of people who represent different backgrounds and with unique skills will be crucial to the success of WestGate. That, along with securing resources and a shared vision, will lead to more investment.
“WestGate has the potential to be one of those places where people will come to,” Niehoff said.