INTRODUCTION Table 2. Summary of Emerging Issues to Address Through Strategic Priorities
Transportation Infrastructure
Federal Procurement
Technology Generation
Item
Assessment • High concentration of Federal and university research, technology and commercialization resources. • Key technology drivers in the County, most importantly University of Maryland, College Park and Bowie State University, have made both improvements in improving technology generation and commercialization and investments in supporting economic development. • Federal Procurement is driving the growth and success of driver industry clusters, especially in fields such as Information Technology Services and in Research-Intensive Sectors. • Procurement in Prince George’s County is driven by civilian agencies, most importantly the Department of Commerce and NASA, both of which have major locations with the County.
Opportunities • Leverage research and education anchors in the County, especially University of Maryland at College Park and increasingly Bowie State University and Prince George’s County Community College. • Continue to advance the Discovery District/Innovation Corridor as an important place-based development. • Better coordinate and take advantage of the growing entrepreneurship program efforts across higher education in the County. • Ensure local workforce can meet needs of federal government, as well as other employers in the County’s other targeted industry sectors. • Leverage the presence of the federal government to help encourage the proliferation of federal contractors, especially those in technology-oriented sectors which can encourage innovation and entrepreneurship through their spillover effects. • Enhance placemaking and develop amenities at transit-oriented districts to help increase the competitiveness of the County in attracting federal leases.
• A well-developed transportation network including access to both highways and mass transit, rail service by CSX and Norfolk Southern Railway, and close proximity to both BWI Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
• Build on excitement around developing placemaking around burgeoning live-work-play environments and transit-oriented developments (e.g., Discovery District, Largo Town Center, Bowie Innovation District).
• New developments like the Inter-County Connector (ICC) and the Purple Line area adding to this advantage.
• Consider approaches to accelerate placemaking and economic development, particularly as an opportunity to stem the outflow of more affluent, educated households.
Economic Development Strategic Action Plan For Prince George’s County
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