April 16, 2020
City of Renton Contact
Preeti Shridhar, Deputy Public Affairs Administrator, 425-430-6569
King County Contact
Daniel DeMay, Communications Manager, King County Council, 206-265-9197
City of Renton, King County: Renton ideal location for COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing facility
RENTON, WA - The City of Renton and King County believe Renton–a major manufacturing hub not only in the Northwest but in the U.S.–is the ideal location for a proposed COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing facility.
“Renton is already known as one of the nation’s manufacturing hubs and is the Northwest’s leader in healthcare,” said Renton Mayor Armondo Pavone. “The ideal location will need a combination of manufacturing capacity, experience in healthcare, a well-trained workforce, and proximity to multiple modes of transportation. Renton has all that as well as a pro-business attitude.”
King County has been a leader nationally for its strong and speedy response to the COVID-19 outbreak, with a great deal of research toward a vaccine already underway.
“Now is the time to put our focus on the future,” said King County Vice Chair Councilmember Reagan Dunn. “There’s no reason this facility shouldn’t be located in King County and specifically in Renton. This is an opportunity to make Renton a global leader in the manufacturing of a lifesaving vaccine.”
At its regular Monday meeting, Renton City Council will pass a resolution authorizing pursuit of a COVID-19 manufacturing facility.
Renton has a robust and well-trained workforce of 54,000 and is home to Boeing’s 737 plant, the most efficient manufacturing operation in the world, and PACCAR, a Fortune 500 truck manufacturer. It is also the headquarters of Kaiser Permanente Washington; Providence St. Joseph Health; Genoa, a large pharmacy and tele‐medicine network; and LifeNet Health, the only full‐service tissue bank in the Pacific Northwest.
Its hospital, UW Medicine/Valley Medical Center, is top-rated in the Seattle Metro area and in Washington state.
The city is located just five miles from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the country’s eighth busiest, and is situated at a junction of four major roadways: I-5, I-405 and state highways 167 and 169. The city also has a municipal airport, seaplane base, several new hotels and convention space.
The U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) estimates that a COVID‐19 vaccine could be developed in 12 to 18 months. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, headquartered in Seattle, has earmarked $250 million for research and manufacturing.
“Locating the COVID-19 manufacturing facility is a very real opportunity to position Renton as a global leader in the manufacturing of a lifesaving vaccine,” Pavone said. “At the same time, it would breathe new life into our city’s economy. We will use all necessary means to bring it to Renton.”
About the City of Renton
The City of Renton, Washington, with a population of 104,700 (2019), is located on the southeast shore of Lake Washington, just south of Seattle. Renton's strong economic base, diverse marketplace and favorable business climate have attracted the attention of nationally recognized companies that are providing employees and their families an outstanding quality of life. Renton is the home of Boeing, PACCAR, IKEA, the Seattle Seahawks, and the eternal resting place of Jimi Hendrix. More information can be found on our website, news releases, or Facebook, Twitter, and Nextdoor pages.
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News Releases
About the City of Renton
The City of Renton, Washington, with a population of 104,700 (2019), is located on the southeast shore of Lake Washington, just south of Seattle. Renton's strong economic base, diverse marketplace and favorable business climate have attracted the attention of nationally recognized companies that are providing employees and their families an outstanding quality of life. Renton is the home of Boeing, PACCAR, IKEA, the Seattle Seahawks, and the eternal resting place of Jimi Hendrix. More information can be found on our website, news releases, or Facebook, Twitter, and Nextdoor pages.