| |  | | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MESSAGE |
|  | Alan Matheson is the executive director of The Point. |
| It is with mixed emotion that I write my last newsletter message as executive director of The Point. After leading this generational project since 2019, I will be stepping down at the end of the month to accept a position managing land and water resources at Rio Tinto Kennecott. In this new role, I will lead a team to create and implement a strategy for the use of the company’s 90,000 acres of land and water rights in the Salt Lake area.
Over the last five years I have worked alongside some of the state’s most capable leaders, including the members of the Point of the Mountain State Land Authority (Land Authority), our development partners and our talented team. We have sought and received a historic volume of public input on this project, engaged world-class planners and designers to develop our initial framework plan, secured funding for critical backbone infrastructure, completed demolition of the former prison facility, planned for future transit and road improvements and signed the historic Phase I development agreement.
Thank you for contributing to this project with your ideas, feedback and time. Working with so many of you on this project over the last five years has been a highlight of my professional career. I will continue to champion The Point as a key driver of economic development and quality of life in Utah. Construction at The Point will soon be underway and I look forward to watching Utah’s Innovation Community rise from the ground. |
| | LAND DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR |
|  | Nick Duerksen is the newly hired Director of Land Development for The Point. |
| The Land Authority has selected Nick Duerksen to serve as Land Development Director for The Point. With nearly four decades of experience in the public sector, Duerksen brings a wealth of expertise to this newly created position. He will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of Phase I Development and any future development projects outside of the Phase I boundaries.
Duerksen comes to The Point from the Utah Transit Authority where he served as a project manager in the agency’s transit-oriented development (TOD) division. In this capacity, Duerksen oversaw the design, construction and management of half a dozen mixed-use developments across the Wasatch Front. His work included preparing complex development plans and negotiating high-stakes development agreements for TODs in Ogden, Clearfield, West Jordan, Draper, Midvale and Sandy. With a potential new FrontRunner station planned near The Point and the planned extension of transit service through the site, Duerksen’s transit experience will be critical.
“Nick is a consensus builder who has a proven track record of getting things done. His decades of experience overseeing complex development projects in the surrounding communities make him a perfect fit for the job,” said Alan Matheson, executive director for The Point. “I have had the pleasure of working with Nick in various capacities over the years and know him to be a collaborative, hard-working public servant who will seek to uphold the public interest at The Point.” |
| | | A FUTURE-FOCUSED COMMUNITY |
|  | Alan Matheson being interviewed at The Point by T.V. host Cassie Fakatoumafi. |
| The American Dream Network is a national TV show with an Emmy-nominated production team of elite real estate professionals. The show airs on major cable networks across the country, garnering tens of millions of views every month. Their mission is to inspire and enrich communities across the country through positive media by sharing authentic stories that educate, empower, and engage audiences.
The Point Executive Director Alan Matheson recently interviewed with T.V. Host Cassie Fakatoumafi about The Point Phase I Development Plans. “I see this as an opportunity for transformation. This is an opportunity to turn [The Point] into an innovation community- a place of hope, of growth and learning,” said Matheson. “This is a future-focused community. We want to design it today for what will be needed tomorrow.” |
| | | ENHANCING UTAH’S LIFE SCIENCE INDUSTRY AT THE POINT |
|  | Pictured: Governor Cox with leaders from various sectors of the life sciences industry. |
| Governor Spencer Cox recently hosted a luncheon at the Governor’s mansion with leaders from various sectors of the life sciences industry to learn how the State of Utah can continue to support the industry. Companies participating included Merit Medical, ATL Technology, Recursion, Seek Labs, Edwards Lifesciences, ARUP Labs, bioMerieux, Alucent Biomedical and Halia Therapeutics. Also present were representatives from BioHive, BioUtah, the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, Senator Ann Millner and Jefferson Moss, The Point Innovation District Executive Director. |
| | | | BIO INTERNATIONALRepresentatives from The Point also recently returned from attending BIO International alongside BioUtah, World Trade Center Utah and other partner organizations. BIO International is the world’s largest gathering of biotech companies, making it the ideal opportunity to introduce The Point to global leaders in life science. |
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| | |  | The Land Authority meets monthly to provide oversight of planning and development at The Point. All meetings are open to the public and broadcast live on The Point’s YouTube, Facebook, X and LinkedIn accounts. Members of the public are invited to attend in person or virtually, and public comment opportunities are available during the meeting. At last month’s board meeting, the Land Authority heard from Nick Duerksen, the newly hired Land Development Director. Nick introduced himself and explained his collaborative approach to overseeing large-scale development projects.
The Land Authority approved the operating budget for the 2024-2025 state fiscal year that started July 1. They heard from staff about the cost saving measures and efficiencies that have been adopted to continue to ensure the appropriate use of public funds. The budget reflects an overall reduction of more than $400,000 over the prior fiscal year - a savings to Utah taxpayers. The Land Authority also updated the prioritization criteria and methodology used for allocating infrastructure funds to include feedback from the independent State Finance Review Commission.
In addition, they approved the documents that will govern up to nine separate public infrastructure districts (PIDs) in the first phase of development. To ensure transparency, the board approved a process for appointing members to these PID boards. The PIDs will be required to notify the Land Authority when they plan to borrow money to fund parking structures, roads, water and wastewater systems, utilities, public transportation or parks. They will also need to show the Land Authority that they are complying with the established Development Agreement.
Finally, the Land Authority heard an update from the consultant team hired to develop The Point Public Arts Plan. The consultant team reported that they hosted three focus groups with dozens of participants statewide. They heard from artists, economic development experts, and others that public art at The Point should feature a range of sizes and types, integrate with technology, be compatible with the natural environment, incorporate interactive elements and use durable, sustainable materials. The next step in the process will be to issue a statewide public survey to gather feedback from Utahns regarding the types and location for art at The Point. |
| | | COLLABORATING WITH BUSINESS LEADERS AROUND THE WORLD |
|  | Last week, the SelectUSA Summit, hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C., attracted over 5,000 economic development and business leaders from around the world to promote foreign direct investment in the United States. Alan Matheson joined a delegation of Utah’s economic development leaders to share the great opportunities Utah offers, including at The Point. We heard from Cabinet-level officials, held productive meetings with businesses interested in Utah and visited with U.S. Representatives Burgess Owens and Blake Moore. |
| | | | Draper Days July 11-20 Draper Days is a community event held every July. The event typically features a festival, parade, 5K race, sports tournaments, movie nights, concerts, and many other activities. Draper Days is sponsored and managed by Draper City and supported by a team of sponsors and volunteers. |
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| ULI Housing Summit August 20 Join the Urban Land Institute for their 3rd Annual Utah Housing Summit where public and private sector leaders will converge to address the critical issue of housing in Utah. This year’s summit will showcase innovative solutions aimed at overcoming the housing obstacles. Developers, public officials, urban planners, investors, housing advocates, and thought leaders will come together to share their expertise and insights. |
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| Get to the River Festival September The Jordan River Commission’s annual Get to the River Festival runs the entire month of September and includes river-focused celebrations and conservation activities hosted by partners and communities along the Jordan River. Thousands of people each year turn out to celebrate the many wonderful things the river has to offer, as well as volunteer to help clean up and restore the river to make it a destination for all to enjoy for generations to come. |
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| Connected Communities Summit September 18-19 As the only event of its kind, the Connected Communities Summit promotes multi-sector collaboration that produces actionable solutions to real-world challenges related to health, transportation and land use in Utah. Building on the partners’ past successful events, the Connected Communities Summit offers renowned keynote speakers, compelling breakout sessions, interactive workshops, exclusive mobile tours, and so much more! |
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| | |  | | | | | Copyright (C) 2024 The Point | All rights reserved
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P.O. Box 692
Draper, Utah 84020
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