When one of the region’s leading biotechnology firms decided last month to remain in San Diego County rather than move elsewhere following an extensive nationwide search, it emphasized two very important points.
One, San Diego indeed is among the West Coast leaders in biotech. Massachusetts and New Jersey have a lock on the industry along the East Coast, while San Diego joins San Francisco here in the West.
Two, it is important to note that Idec Pharmaceuticals opted to relocate its operations to a largely ignored corner of San Diego County. The coastal North County community of Oceanside’s primary industry for the past half-century or so has been the U.S. Marine Corps. Camp Pendleton sprawls across 125,000 acres and is home to some 40,000 Marines and sailors. It has sustained Oceanside’s economy, but with that revenue came the sometimes unenviable reputation as a brawling Marine town.
Despite some of the best beaches in the county and a wonderful little harbor, Oceanside’s notoriety as a haven for gangs, prostitutes and drugs also grew.
While the realities of gangs won’t go away overnight, the perception of Oceanside as a good place to do business certainly has done an about-face. City officials in 1997 approved an ambitious 24-point plan to entice businesses to relocate to Oceanside, and it appears to be paying dividends.
In fact, Idec may actually be a Johnny-come-lately, in terms of who got the ball rolling. Manchester Resorts approached Oceanside in 1997 in hopes of leading a $250 million rehabilitation of the city’s downtown harborside property. Though the project is still in negotiations, the commitment to build a world-class resort in downtown Oceanside is in place.
Over the next decade, Idec will sink some $1.25 billion into its massive campus in the Ocean Ranch Corporate Center. Ultimately, Idec will employ 2,500 people in its planned 362,000-square-foot facility at an annual average salary of $45,000 to $60,000.
Idec’s move from its Torrey Pines facility to Oceanside should act as a catalyst for other major firms looking to move. While it’s true Oceanside gambled a bit by loading the deal with perks like a guarantee of 1.4 million gallons of water a day and a waiver of nearly $3.5 million in building fees, it’s a calculated risk. Like dominos, city officials are hoping others fall in place after Idec.
Corporations likely will realize there’s a vast supply of land, it’s relatively inexpensive by California standards, and it’s a 15-minute drive from the high-tech hub of Sorrento Valley.
The Tri-City area of Oceanside, Vista and Carlsbad boasts an ample work force, but more importantly, Oceanside sits nearly dead center between two prestigious UC campuses , San Diego and Irvine. Oceanside’s viability as an accessible corporate center allows firms relocating there to court those working in Orange County’s high-tech community.
Is Oceanside a sleeping giant? The city likely will never crawl out of the shadow cast by Camp Pendleton, but its effort to recruit companies like Idec certainly creates a bright new outlook for Oceanside.
