Michigan State University (MSU) recently approved construction of the Grand Rapids Research Center (GRRC), a biomedical research facility that will be located in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. This facility will accommodate up to 44 lead researchers (called “principal investigators” or PIs) and their research teams. The research center will also expand MSU’s presence in Grand Rapids. Currently, this includes the MSU College of Human Medicine’s Secchia Center, a medical education building that opened in 2010, and the MSU Extension’s Kent County Office.
Michigan State University commissioned Anderson Economic Group to evaluate the benefits of the GRRC to the Grand Rapids area. We estimate the net economic impact of the GRRC’s construction and operations on the region. We describe the benefits of attracting a talented workforce to the area. We also note the contribution that this facility will make to efforts in cultivating a biomedical research cluster in Grand Rapids.