RIVERTON — It's big, impressive and it's just the beginning for the Intel Corp. campus.
While Gov. Mike Leavitt was reportedly back east bending the president's ear about the energy crisis out west, his stand-in was happy to help dedicate Intel's new 330,000-square-foot building Friday. Dave Winder, executive director for the Utah Department of Community and Economic Development, said plans for the campus fit into the governor's strategy to create a Silicon Valley alliance in Utah.
With other heavy hitters such as Novell, Iomega and Gateway already on board, the addition of Intel should prove to be yet another draw for more research and development, which in Winder's opinion, is better than less-environmentally friendly manufacturing and production plants. And if Intel reaches build-out within the projected 15-20 years, as many as 8,000 jobs will be created in Riverton as a result — jobs that pay better than their industrial counterparts.
"This is a company that is unique and is going to grow," Winder told a crowded conference room, filled with Intel employees, many with children in tow. Kids, young and old, took Friday to play with Intel toys, tour a research lab, watch technology demonstrations and visit the unique Intel Shop.
Intel's campus, Winder added, is yet one more step toward developing an infrastructure to attract other technology companies. "This is the type of growth that is just about perfect for economic development." Riverton agrees.
So far Intel has invested $70 million in its 150-acre campus at 3740 W. 13400 South. The company has already pumped more than $467,000 into Utah's education system, much of that in the form of technology grants. It has doubled its work force to 600 employees at the Riverton location in just a few months — many of those were hired locally to fill jobs in the company's software products and solutions division, Internet management appliance division or global enterprise services. Worldwide, Intel employs more than 55,000.
Quoting the governor's comments at a recent luncheon, Lloyd remarked, "Riverton is the hot spot in the state of Utah." The burgeoning Intel campus, she added, is a step toward building an economically viable community.
The mayor also praised Intel employees for donating nearly $10,000 in worker hours toward community beautification projects. "We are building a community to enter a new century."
E-mail: sspeckman@desnews.com