Press Release

Southfield, Troy Announce Oakland County/Automation Alley Technology Partnership

Pontiac, Michigan (March 10, 2003) -- The City Councils of Southfield and Troy will hold a joint meeting to announce formation of a Joint Local Development Finance Authority (LDFA) to support the Automation Alley SmartZone^TM and Technology Accelerator on Wednesday, March 12, 2003, 4:00 p.m. at the Oakland County Medical Examiners Conference Room on the Oakland County government campus, 1200 North Telegraph Road in Pontiac. Information regarding the programs and services planned for SmartZone^TM tenants and companies participating in the Accelerator will also be provided.

The meeting marks the first time in the history of the State of Michigan that two non-contiguous communities will establish a joint LDFA to provide for infrastructure and funding for development of a technology accelerator extending beyond their borders. The Oakland County technology development clusters are positioned in the area referred to as the Automation Alley SmartZone^TM, one of ten SmartZones^TM established by the State of Michigan. The Automation Alley SmartZone^TM is a partnership between the cities of Southfield, Rochester Hills and Troy, and Oakland County, Automation Alley, Lawrence Technological University and Oakland University. Additional support for the Accelerator has been provided by the National Automotive Center.

Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson commented, "Oakland County and Automation Alley are perfectly positioned to facilitate the specific local community efforts in retaining and growing our technology companies under the SmartZone^TM program and the planned Technology Accelerator."

"This is a historic event in Oakland County," said Nik Banda, the City of Southfield's Director of Planning and Business Resource Development. "Troy and Southfield are two communities that compete for residents and businesses on a daily basis. Both Councils, however, believe that the SmartZone^TM program, in partnership with Automation Alley, creates a strong regional tool to support economic development." The Automation Alley brand, which is internationally recognized, will be strengthened, he added and benefit from local as well as State of Michigan marketing efforts.

"Silicon Valley and the Research triangle used the same regional approach to grow technology clusters," said Southfield Mayor Brenda L. Lawrence. "This regional partnership will place us on the same playing field so we can effectively compete for site location of biotechnology, advanced manufacturing and technology-based companies."

The SmartZone^TM program nurtures partnerships between industry, government and educational institutions. It supports the advancement of technology through the commercialization of research and development of IT clusters. Accelerator programs have been established in select SmartZones^TM, including the Automation Alley SmartZone^TM, to provide educational programs and services, including creating seed funding to support research and venture capital funds to help companies bring technologies to market.

Automation Alley, a consortium of nearly 500 high-tech businesses and organizations in southeastern Michigan, is widely recognized as one of the most dynamic and affluent regions in the United States. Conceived in 1998, the Automation Alley consortium helps member companies gain competitive advantages in productivity, innovation and growth. This consortium is the fist public/private partnership driven to develop Automation Alley as one of the country's premier technology corridors.

For further information, please contact Dan Hunter, Oakland County Planning & Economic Development Services, 248-858-0764 or Dan Casey, City of Southfield Business Development Department, 248-208-8081.