GTECH
President and Chief Executive Officer Bruce Turner was asked what factor tipped
the scale in the favor of Rhode Island as the lottery giant negotiated the relocation
of its world headquarters with top officials both in Rhode Island and in Massachusetts.
He answered without hesitation.
“It was the leadership,” he said.
Previous to that, during a press conference in Gov. Don Carcieri’s office, the GTECH executive had been asked if Norton, Mass., had really been a player. Was GTECH close to leaving Rhode Island for the Bay State?
“Very close,” he said.
Had GTECH – and the 1,000 jobs the company accounts for – left Rhode Island, it would most certainly have delivered a crippling blow to our already fragile economy. Make no mistake, GTECH moving to Massachusetts would have hurt us not only financially, but also mentally.
Such a move would have added fuel to that inferiority complex that we too often demonstrate. Finishing second can do that – especially here.
But it didn’t happen. Rhode Island won. Won big.
The lottery giant will build a $65-million office building at the northeast corner of Francis Street and Memorial Boulevard – and will be among the major players now in supporting the development of a new hotel and parking garage downtown.
A $20-million manufacturing plant is coming to the West Warwick Industrial Park.
And there could be more good news down the line.
According to Turner, GTECH has told investors that the company plans to spend up to $2 billion over the next five years, primarily for strategic acquisitions.
Those acquisitions could be absorbed into Rhode Island if they “fit operationally,” said Turner.
“Win-win” may be a tired and overused phrase, but it accurately describes what happened when GTECH signed a memorandum of understanding with the city of Providence and the state on Wednesday, April 9.
It is striking how quickly things can happen in big business. That underscores how important it is that elected officials – be they from the city or the state –are ready and willing to act just as quickly.
Think for just a moment about the chain of events that fell in place so quickly over the past few months, weeks even.
Amgen, the bio-pharmaceutical giant, makes an offer to buy GTECH’s West Greenwich headquarters. The offer is so good, GTECH is compelled to consider it. Suddenly, GTECH needs to relocate.
Massachusetts makes a pitch.
The story could have gotten real ugly from there. But it doesn’t. It only gets better, thanks to that key element that Turner mentioned – leadership.
For months we have been hearing a lot about how well Carcieri, Senate President William V. Irons and Speaker of the House William J. Murphy have been getting along.
It’s been a nice story about new lines of communication at the State House – the parts working for the good of the whole. The Republican governor having weekly lunches with the Democratic leaders of the General Assembly.
Just last week, Carcieri gave Irons and Murphy a ride over to a luncheon at the Business Expo.
It doesn’t sound like much – but it wouldn’t have happened in the past.
Irons, perhaps the state’s most powerful Democrat, does not hesitate to heap praise upon the state’s Republican governor.
“He treats us as equals in discussions,” said Irons. “All three of us put pieces into that legislation…. This governor is unique because he is entrepreneurial. He is an exciting person to have in that office because of how he deals with everybody.”
Irons, who has toiled at the General Assembly for 20 years, has never been so excited about the potential for economic development. He sees the GTECH deal as a “synergistic event.” He credits Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline, too, for his willingness to work closely with others.
“Downtown development has been stalled for a decade,” said Irons. “But we all think that this will be a synergistic event.”
Irons believes the fact that Cicilline now resides in the corner office at Providence City Hall sends a very important message to prospective investors in the city – that things are different. In fact, he said that if the Amgen/GTECH story were being written two years ago, it would have had a very different ending.
“I don’t think GTECH would have gone to that City Hall,” said Irons.
The GTECH story is a big one. But an even bigger one is the leadership, the communication and cooperation that made it possible.
Because that means all the talk about things being different around here is more than just talk.
And Rhode Island doesn’t have to settle for finishing second anymore.
“The little state that could – did,” said Irons.
