Jul 18, 2015 2 min read

Southpointe did not have a good week following the Independence Day holiday weekend. This portion of Washington County normally goes about its business of making money and ignoring the rest of us. However, The Wall Street Journal reported on the apparent business practices between one of Southpointe’s principal founders, Rodney Piatt, and one of its largest tenants, the pharmaceutical company Mylan.

A large real estate transaction and other activities were not disclosed to shareholders. While the land deal at Southpointe II for the new Mylan headquarters may not have provided a financial windfall for Piatt, it certainly did not pass the smell test for good corporate governance.

Just as this story was dying down, the Observer-Reporter had a story on its front page last Sunday on the economic impact of Southpointe.

While it cannot be denied that both phases of Southpointe have sparked economic development, not everyone is happy. There is a sense that older communities in Washington County are crumbling while Southpointe receives all the perks. Moreover, Southpointe appears to benefit corporations and the well-off, leaving the rest of us to admire from afar.

For those who have seen the movie “Elysium,” Southpointe reminds me of this out-of-reach paradise. The movie depicts a large “Garden of Eden” space station that orbits above the planet. Elysium is the home of the wealthy and the well-connected. The 99 percent left behind on Earth are forced into crime and poverty with little chance for advancement. The space taxis do not run from Earth to Elysium.

The differences in the wealth and privilege of Southpointe and the economic challenges in the rest of the county are certainly striking. I would like to offer a solution to ease the guilt of its real estate developers, 300 business entities, 9,000 employees and numerous residents: Earmark a parcel of land at Southpointe for a Washington County cultural center. Build a home for the Washington Symphony Orchestra, the community choirs and other organizations. Leave room for a satellite City Mission facility or drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. With such projects, Southpointe would return to Earth and feel like a sharing partner with the county.

Gary Stout

Washington