George Mason business incubator in Stafford’s future; County approves $500,000 grant

Stafford County leaders voted to infuse $500,000 into the county’s Tech and Research Park.

The money from the county’s Economic Opportunity Fund will be used to launch a co-working space and business incubator at the Quantico Corporate Center site in North Stafford. Incubators attract start-up companies and entrepreneurs looking for temporary office and meeting space to grow their firms.

Tim Baroody with Stafford’s Economic Development office told the County Board of Supervisors the George Mason Enterprise Center will be a component of the new addition to the tech park.

The Mason Enterprise Center has seen mixed success in the region. Centers in Spotsylvania County, and in Woodbridge in Prince William County were closed. An MEC at the George Mason University, Science and Technology Campus in Manassas, was converted into the Serious Game Institute which now produces video games for commercial applications and training.

Entrepreneurs at the former MEC in Manassas found it difficult to conduct business and host meetings at the incubator located on university’s campus while adhering to campus rules, including on-site parking restrictions.

A Mason Enterprise Centers in downtown Leesburg in Loudoun County continues to do well. An MEC in downtown Warrenton in Fauquier County recently expanded. The easily accessible, centralized, downtown locations are attributed to the success of these MEC locations.

Stafford County’s $500,000 investment will be used to hire support staff and a director for the business incubator. Supervisors declined an option to provide an additional half million dollars in taxpayer funds to the center by 2019.

Leaders kept provisions that the center must generate $250,000 in revenue by the end of the fiscal year 2018, and $300,000 by 2019. The center must also raise $150,000 in grants and sponsorships to meet the requirements of the county grant.

Supporters of expanding the tech park said the investment could spur as many as 7,000 new jobs in the county, requiring 300,000 square feet of new office space. They point to recent successes at Prince William County’s Innovation Park as a model to use for Stafford County’s tech park.

Stafford County in 2011 entered into an agreement with multiple universities, to include Mary Washington, George Mason, and Germanna Community College holds business classes at the center.

Rock Hill Supervisor Wendy Maurer served on the county’s Economic Development Authority and, at first, didn’t support the project. “I got on the tech park board with every intent of killing it,” said Maurer.

Over time, Maurer said she learned the tech park’s location next to Quantico Marine Corps Base and Department of Defense assets made it an ideal spot.

Widewater District Supervisor Jack Cavalier suggested selling about 12 acres of county-owned undeveloped land at the center of Quantico Corporate Center to pay for the incubator. That was a friendly amendment the Board did not accept.

“That’s like planning a trip to California and then selling off the highway you need to get there,” said Aquia District Supervisor Paul Milde.

Hartwood District Supervisor Gary Snellings didn’t’ support the project. “I am not willing to gamble taxpayer money on what we hope is going to happen with this,” he said.