PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA-Northern Virginia has won out over South Carolina and North Carolina to become the home of Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical manufacturer Eli Lilly and Co.s's $425-million insulin manufacturing plant. The 600,000-sf complex will occupy a 120-acre parcel at the INNOVATION @ Prince William office park, the area's 1,200-acre biotech park.

“The company's investment of $425 million places it in the top 10 largest economic development investments in the state's history,” says Gov. Mark R. Warner of the pharmaceutical company's decision. Warner played a personal role in helping to bring the project to the state. “Lilly's innovative work will help improve the lives of Virginians and people around the world and I look forward to partnering with this highly-respected company.” The area's significant population of skilled workers as well as a bevy of state and local government incentives played a large roll in Eli Lilly's decision to locate in Prince William County. The company will receive a $2.25 million grant for property acquisition and construction site preparation from the Governor's Opportunity Fund and it will receive a $3 million grant from the Virginia Investment Partnership. Also, locating the plant in Virginia will allow the 126-year old Eli Lilly geographically diversify the locations of its insulin manufacturing plants in the US.

Prince William county owns part of the land where the biotech park will sit, a little over 26 acres, and plans to sell a portion of the county-owned property at INNOVATION in an effort to help Eli Lilly in developing the plant. The remaining 94 acres of the 120-acre plot is owned by Lee Sammis Associates. It was back in 1997 that Prince William County officials acquired 529 acres for $8.5 million to begin developing the park. INNOVATION now counts international research firm American Type Culture Collection and George Mason University's local campus as the park's anchor tenants. Construction on the Eli Lilly's plant, which will become home to more than 700 employees, is set to begin later this year. Operations are projected to begin in 2004, with the plant becoming fully operational in 2007.