So often our civic and business development projects turn out to be just pie in the sky. This one looks like it’s taking off.
Kudos to the folks at Blue Abyss, the City of Brook Park and the Ohio Aerospace Institute (OAI). Earlier this year, John Vickers, CEO of Blue Abyss, and Edward Orcutt, mayor of Brook Park, confirmed the completion of the purchase of 12 acres of land on which the company plans to build a state-of-the-art extreme environment research, development and training center, as well as a hotel, a project reported in the August 2023 issue of Community Leader. Blue Abyss also received a $450,000 grant from Cuyahoga County’s Finance & Budgeting Committee.
While it’s great news for Blue Abyss, Brook Park and the OAI, there’s plenty of reason for everyone in Northeast Ohio to celebrate. An Economic and Fiscal Impact Study of the Blue Abyss Training Center and Hotel by the Department of Economics, Kent State University, concluded that the Blue Abyss Center and Hotel will provide substantive economic and fiscal benefits to the local economy as a visitor attraction. It also will bring high-quality jobs and economic benefits to the region. (See “By the Numbers” on following page.)
The project will be adjacent to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and close to NASA’s Glenn Research Center, Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility, the OAI, Cleveland’s International Exposition (IX) Center, and world-class universities and hospitals. Construction will start this year.
Naturally, civic leadership is ecstatic.
“Blue Abyss investing in Brook Park for this ground-breaking facility is a clear sign of our unlimited potential and bright future and continues the great legacy of innovation by NASA Glenn and the Ohio Aerospace Institute, both located in Brook Park,” says Edward A. Orcutt, mayor of Brook Park. “We’re eager to collaborate, leveraging their expertise to boost our local economy, generate jobs and create a lasting legacy for our community and Northeast Ohio.
“I extend heartfelt thanks to Blue Abyss for choosing Brook Park as their home. Together, we embark on an exciting journey toward innovation and prosperity. The road to the next generation of Space Exploration runs through Brook Park.”
“We are thrilled to welcome Blue Abyss to Cuyahoga County, marking a significant milestone in economic development,” adds Chris Ronayne, Cuyahoga County executive. “The presence of this global company brings job opportunities for our residents and reinforces our commitment to fostering innovation and growth in key industries. Blue Abyss’ decision to invest in Brook Park underscores Cuyahoga County’s position as a hub for cutting-edge enterprises, and we look forward to the positive impact this partnership will have on the broader region.”
So what are the next steps?
“Building on the positive feedback and encouraging responses from businesses and Clevelanders in general, the primary focus is on finalizing the full capital stack,” says Vickers. “In parallel, we are moving from expressions of interest from possible customers to securing concrete commitments and cultivating meaningful relationships with other stakeholders and key partners.”
“Building on the positive traction, we are able to make good on our promise to deliver a number of outreach initiatives to complement our construction activities. In addition, whilst the center itself will take some 18 months to build, there are other facets of what we have planned, which will start operating sooner.”
International projects of this magnitude do not come about without strategic partnerships, Vickers concedes. He is also quick to credit OAI with its help and partnership in bringing the project to fruition in Ohio.
“The decision to establish the U.S. facility in Ohio is, in part, due to its strategic location near NASA Glenn, the Ohio Aerospace Institute (OAI) and several world-class centers of education and medicine,” says Vickers. “Further to that, it’s the passion and commitment demonstrated by the city of Brook Park, Cuyahoga County and the State of Ohio.
“We are committed to pushing the boundaries of what is possible, much like Ohio’s history of being a ‘state of firsts’. With its distinguished legacy, visionary leadership and alignment of goals with Blue Abyss, we believe it is the perfect location to proudly build the world’s first commercial astronaut training center.
“We are excited about the potential for partnership and the positive impact it will have on both the local community and the broader landscape of aerospace innovation. The warm welcome, robust infrastructure and collaborative ecosystem that Ohio offers make it an ideal hub for our U.S. operations. I am particularly grateful to the leadership team at OAI, Brook Park city mayor and economic director and the local, county and state officials who continue to support us.”
The partnership with the Ohio Aerospace Institute team has been truly
exceptional, serving as invaluable local advocates and collaborators, adds Vickers. To date, the most beneficial aspects have been the robust local and aerospace industry networking facilitated by OAI, coupled with its positive can-do attitude.
“Their role in facilitating meetings with the right individuals at the right time has proven instrumental to our progress,” says Vickers. “Looking forward, we are eager to build upon this collaboration with industry, government and academic partners. Our vision includes expanding our supplier and customer base, leveraging the extensive network and expertise that OAI brings to the table.
“We anticipate that this collaborative effort will not only enhance our capabilities but also contribute to the positive social, economic and fiscal development of the area. We look forward to continuing this successful partnership, working in partnership with OAI to achieve shared goals and foster innovation within the aerospace sector.”
Blue Abyss By the Numbers
ECONOMIC IMPACT:
During the Construction Phase
- The addition of 1,759 full-time equivalent jobs
- Increase resident incomes by $135 million
- Create total impact spending of $316 million
After 5 Years
Create or support over 3,900 jobs
- Add $277 million to resident income
- Increase county and sub-county tax revenue by $3.5 million
- Increase total output by well over $654 million
After 30 Years
- Create or support 21,800 jobs
- Add $1.5 billion to resident income
- Increase tax revenue by $19 million
- Increase total output by $3.6 billion
(Source: Department of Economics, Kent State University)
FACILITY FACTS:
- Will occupy 12-acre site adjacent to Cleveland Hopkins
- International Airport.
- Will house the world’s largest and deepest R&D pool.
- Pool will measure 40-meters-by-50 meters on the surface.
- It will include a 16-meter-wide shaft plunging to 50 meters.
- Pool will hold 42,000 cubic meters of water, enough for
17 Olympic-sized pools. - Center will offer immersive XR-technology for extreme
environment experience. - Human centrifuge will enable training and physiology research.
- Hypobaric and hyperbaric chambers enable training and research in hypoxic and pressurized environments.
- Blue Abyss Parabolic Flight 2.0 will enable microgravity research.
(Source: Blue Abyss)
