Bryant Report on Quonset's Impact on State Economy Unveiled Monday

NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI—Top Rhode Island officials and politicians will gather at the State House on Monday for an unveiling in regards to Quonset, and it won't be details about a new submarine, manufacturing facility or fast-growing company's new operations center.

Instead, state and congressional leaders will be on hand for a new Bryant University study showing the economic impact of Quonset Business Park on Rhode Island.

The formal Navy air station and construction battalion in North Kingstown has become a bustling economic center after state and federal investment in infrastructure, a new highway, port upgrades and dogged determination.

Quonset Development Corporation, which manages Quonset Business Park, now boasts 200 companies employing about 11,000 people who work in a broad spectrum of industries including defense and auto importing. The Port of Davisville is now one of the top 10 auto import sites in the United States.

The press conference will mark the release of the report, which will likely show that Quonset has become a key part of Rhode Island's slow but steady economic recovery and could serve as a model for other tracts to transform. One factor helping Quonset's growth has been the fast-track zoning and development approval process. Instead of waiting for developers to do all the footwork, QDC has completed site planning and zoning work in advance, enabling companies to easily plug their building plans into shovel-ready lots.

Among the attendees will be Governor Gina Raimondo, Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, Senate President Teresa Pavia Weed, Secretary of Commerce Stefan Pryor and Steven J. King, managing director of Quonset Development Corporation.

Photo: U.S. Sen. Jack Reed tours the Port of Davisville to observe the expansion of the auto importing business in Quonset earlier this year. (Courtesy: Quonset Development Corporation).