The Bryan City Council on Tuesday night voted to adopt an interlocal agreement, or ILA, with the City of College Station that will allow the two cities to continue the development of The Research Valley BioCorridor. The motion included the provision that the City of College Station approve the same ILA by the end of the day on June 9.

The version of the ILA passed by the Bryan City Council is similar to a version passed two weeks prior by the College Station City Council. Segments of the College Station version were modified to reinforce the City of Bryan’s long-term commitment to the BioCorridor project and the partnership with College Station.

The ILA outlines how both cities will form a partnership to leverage economic development in the BioCorridor, an area that initially includes a total of 179 acres. All property considered in the partnership is owned by the City of Bryan, located within the city limits of each of the two cities.

The City of Bryan has already prepared much of the property for development by encouraging the location of biomedical and research industries to the area. Bryan elected officials and staff have worked closely with state and federal officials to make the BioCorridor a location of choice for such industries; Bryan’s partnership with the Texas A&M Health Science Center was one catalyst for such development in the BioCorridor. Furthermore, the City of Bryan has participated in or constructed infrastructure for much of the area.

The ILA passed by the Bryan City Council includes the following:

- Ad valorem tax revenue sharing on real and personal properties

- Shared cost between the cities for HSC Parkway design and construction, as well as shared cost of sewer infrastructure

- A swap of sewer service areas

- Creation of joint development standards

Bryan Mayor Jason Bienski, Bryan Mayor Pro-Tem Ann Horton, College Station Mayor Nancy Berry, Former College Station Mayor Pro-Tem John Crompton, Bryan Councilmember Art Hughes, and staff from both cities had a key role in the development of the ILA, which will serve to implement the Research Valley Partnership’s vision for the BioCorridor.

The BioCorridor presents a tremendous opportunity for both cities, and is expected to be an economic development catalyst with significant community, state, national, and international impact. World class, state-of-the-art facilities are bringing new opportunities for pharmaceutical manufacturing, high-paying jobs, and other significant economic benefits to the entire community.