UNL proposes concept plan for Nebraska Innovation Campus

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln today released concept plans for use of State Fair Park as a model research park called Nebraska Innovation Park.

The Nebraska Innovation Park conceptual plan is modeled on successful existing national research university public-private partnerships. One such example is Centennial Campus at North Carolina State University, where more than 70 businesses now operate, providing new jobs and revenue for the state and its citizens.

"Now that we have seen the consultant's report, as part of the ongoing conversation, we want the public to see what might be possible should the university be able to use the land at State Fair Park," UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman said in releasing the concept plan. Drawings and schematics and a 3-dimensional model was announced today, and placed on-line at www.unl.edu/ucomm/chancllr/nipark.

The main objective in creating the Nebraska Innovation Park concept plan is to provide a vision for a site to expand university research and build private sector partnerships for the long-term economic benefit of all Nebraskans, Perlman said.

"The modern economy is based on innovation, and it has been shown that many private-sector companies involved in agriculture, technology and other fields prefer to locate adjacent to or on a university campus where they can collaborate with university scientists and engage university students," Perlman said. "We believe State Fair Park offers a unique opportunity to create such a park, to generate considerable economic activity, and to link the City and East campuses together."

The Nebraska Innovation Park would provide space for public-private partnerships, allowing private businesses to access faculty research in the development of marketable innovations. The concept plan includes a mix of existing and new construction that is a mix of public and private research, retail, parking, multi-purpose buildings, greenhouse and gardens, recreation and gathering areas.

The concept plan, developed by Omaha consultant RDG, would be built as demand increased, eventually providing up to 1.6 million gross square feet. The innovation park is intended to replicate the success of the university's Beadle Center on a larger scale for the benefit of Nebraska's economy.

The Beadle Center on the UNL campus opened in 1995 at a cost of approximately $26 million and since then has provided a research hub that has generated more than $100 million in grants, $75 million in the past five years alone. Using a common job creation metric that each million-dollar increase in funding represents the creation of 30 jobs, Beadle Center projects represent the equivalent of more than 3,000 jobs.

Research funding at UNL has tripled in the past 10 years, with UNL faculty members earning more than $100 million in externally funded research grants in the past year. The university now ranks 27th among all public research universities in the nation in research and development expenditures.

"The research success has led to crowded labs and some faculty members are not in a position to apply for more large-scale research grants until more space is provided. A research park would expand opportunities for university faculty and students to tackle complex problems and collaborate with private sector companies to develop new technologies and processes for commercialization," said Prem Paul, UNL vice chancellor for research. "The potential payoff is richer learning opportunities for students, business expansion and new jobs to help keep our talent in Nebraska and increased research funding for UNL."

The links below are to color JPEG images of concept plans for Nebraska Innovation Park.

CONTACT: Meg Lauerman, Director, University Communications, (402) 472-0296, cell 540-9242