PRESS RELEASES   Research park's role highlighted 07/15/2008 Tue July 15, 2008 By Jim Stafford Business Writer, The Oklahoman The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce released an economic impact study Monday confirming what many suspected: the Presbyterian Health Foundation Research Park has had a resounding positive impact on the state's economy. In fact, the study found that the research park has an annual direct economic impact on the economy of $93.8 million, with 1,300 people employed in 30-plus bioscience companies and 20-plus related entities housed in the 27-acre park. Entitled "The Presbyterian Health Foundation Research Park: A Major Oklahoma City Asset,” the study was conducted by Larkin Warner, professor emeritus of Oklahoma State University, and Robert C. Dauffenbach, associate dean of the Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma. What has been key to growth? Situated near the hub of Oklahoma's medical research at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, the park has opened new avenues to commercialization of discoveries made by state scientists. "The park has provided a site for local scientists to take advantage of recent science-driven changes in the structure of the pharmaceutical industry permitting the entry of small biotech enterprises,” Larkin and Dauffenbach wrote. "It also serves, de facto, as an Oklahoma City accelerator for these firms and provides incubator space.” The research park was built on Urban Renewal land just south of the OU Health Sciences Center in the mid 1990s and has brought new life to a once-neglected area. It has grown to seven buildings and almost 700,000 square feet of class A wet lab and office space. Building Seven is expected to open within a month, said Michael Anderson, president of the Presbyterian Health Foundation. "I'm very pleased with the significance of the study,” Anderson said. "I believe that Oklahoma and in particular Oklahoma City will have some excellent opportunities for biotechnology commercialization growth. "This is a really good time for Oklahoma City and Oklahoma as a state to consider what is a fairly new sector in its economic development and that is science-based companies and what they do to benefit the state economically as well as people who can benefit from the products developed from new diagnostics and therapeutics here in Oklahoma.” Roy Williams, president of the chamber, said the study highlights the benefits of an economic asset that some people may take for granted. "The thing that people may quickly overlook and that is the fact of how unique it is to have a facility like that in your city,” Williams aid. "And how that separates us from so many communities. It's a rarity and quite a jewel for Oklahoma.”