Fall River: Why gamble?

Fall River's casino vs. SouthCoast Biopark: Why throw out a sure thing to take a gamble?

By Robert A. Mellion, Esq.
Fall River Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc.


The Fall River Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry understands and supports all efforts to create jobs in and around the city of Fall River. This is why business leaders throughout the community have repeatedly called for immediate development of the stalled 300-acre SouthCoast BioPark and University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth bioprocessing facility projects.

Closing the door on the life sciences commerce park project is definitely questionable at a time when Fall River needs an economic shot in the arm. Remember that the money to build a 21st-century commerce park was in hand since April 2009.

Look back at what was traded away and ask yourself if it was a good deal. Almost two years ago, state and city officials gathered at a corner of the Fall River Industrial Park to unveil millions of dollars in grants for the express purpose of establishing the 300-acre life sciences commerce park in Fall River. The event celebrated what so many thought was to be the linchpin and turning point in Fall River’s economic future.

“This project builds on our investment in the life sciences supercluster and creates long-term regional prosperity in an environmentally responsible manner,” said Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing & Economic Development Secretary Gregory Bialecki. Fall River Office of Economic Development Executive Vice President Kenneth Fiola Jr. and state Sen. Joan Menard both mirrored Secretary Bialecki’s sentiment. When talking about the life sciences park, Mr. Fiola confirmed that “Two buildings just went under agreement,” in the Industrial Park, “and there are only 20 developable acres in the park. That’s why there’s the need to develop a park like this.”

Years of discussion, research and investment ultimately produced a comprehensive economic development master plan for Fall River. The plan was based upon constructing a diversified economy which drew from our industrial heritage. The architects of the life sciences commerce park, which included FROED, demonstrated repeatedly that close to $4 billion in buildings would be constructed over time as part of the economic development project.

Financial assumptions for the project were purposely modeled conservatively. If only two of 10 products reached the market each year over a 10-year period, the bioprocessing facility alone could indirectly generate the potential of 8,000 new jobs to the area. The calculation did not take into effect that a life sciences company might choose to locate at the commerce park on its own.

Life sciences jobs include both white-collar and blue-collar manufacturing, distribution, production, marketing and administrative positions. Keep in mind that the Fall River Industrial Park, which produces many of these jobs today, employs more than 6,500 people. Also consider that more than 60 manufacturing companies including Exemplar Pharmaceuticals, RTS Life Science, Isis Medical and Coast to Coast Medical, Inc. have had no issue against locating next to a landfill.

The plan to develop the SouthCoast BioPark in Fall River had support from state and federal government, nonprofit, education and private partners. Even in a recession economy the future was looking bright for Fall River. Something significant changed not too long after the current city administration took office in January.

The decision to seek out an alternative economic vision, while systematically scorching the life out of the commerce park project, was a significant breach from the comprehensive economic development plan for Fall River. Without community input, or a referendum, the city administration unilaterally turned its back on a $21 million dollar economic partner, the University of Massachusetts. UMass – Dartmouth was slated to be the first tenant of the life sciences park by producing the long sought after bioprocessing facility.

In May, the Chamber of Commerce believed it had a duty to the community it serves to ask a simple question. Why are we discarding a state supported shovel ready economic development and job creating project for the remote possibility of capturing a casino license? Seven more months have passed.

Robert A. Mellion, Esq. is the President & CEO of the Fall River Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc.