KineticPark, 5/22/07

The problems at Huntington’s KineticPark make me wonder why people in politics want to dabble in real estate with public money.

If KineticPark was such a good idea -- providing a place for local high-tech startups -- then private money would have built it before the government did. You can look across the road at the convenience store, two fast food places and two motels to see that private money moves much faster than government money does.

One question I wish I had asked way back when KineticPark was getting started: How many high-tech patents have been issued to people with Huntington addresses in the past five years? And what makes us think the manufacturing of those patented produces and processes will be done locally?

I don't know if asking those questions would have made any difference. By the time the public was informed about plans for KineticPark, things were under way.

Government is good at doing things where it can compel people to be customers. Schools and roads come to mind. Government cannot, however, compel companies to locate on a sheared-off hill top on the outer edge of Huntington.

And that is KineticPark’s primary failing so far.

The original dream was to have Amazon.com’s East Coast customer service center at KineticPark. A building with Amazon’s name facing Interstate 64 would have given KineticPark instant legitimacy. But Amazon chose instead to remain anonymous on the upper floors of a renovated building in downtown Huntington. No Amazon, no instant legitimacy.

For years, the main marketing effort was a “For Sale” sign that was moved around KineticPark. Like a Hewlett-Packard executive would drive by, see the sing and set up a regional office there, I guess.

The more time goes on, the less I want government to spend less time in the real estate development business and more time in the business of providing basic services.