MIAMI TWP. — Miami Twp. officials say the $170 million cancer treatment center planned for the Austin Boulevard interchange will be a significant employer of highly skilled jobs and not competition to area hospitals.

“I can’t emphasize enough, this new center will not hurt hospitals here, it will just compliment them,” said Township Administrator Greg Hanahan. “This (center) is truly unique. Most of the people coming to it will be flying in from other parts of the country or state.”

Township officials on Wednesday, Oct. 28, announced that Optivus Proton Therapy Inc., a privately-held company based in California, plans in 2010 to begin construction on a $170 million facility on 23 acres in the southwest quadrant of the interchange.

Optivus offers a three dimensional proton beam therapy for people with tumors. The beam attacks the tumor without damaging surrounding tissue.

There are six proton therapy centers operating in California, Indiana, Massachusetts, Oklahoma and Texas, according to the National Association for Proton Therapy.

Besides the 200 highly skilled jobs — with an average annual salary of $66,000 and to be filled mostly by Dayton applicants — the center is expected to bring another 200 jobs through support companies and 400 more jobs and $170 million in business development from ancillary businesses, possibly including a research center, Hanahan said.

And because the average stay of a patient is six weeks, he said ancillary businesses, such as hotels and restaurants, will come naturally with development of the center.

Miami Twp. paid for an economic impact study by New York-based Parsons Brinckerhoff that estimated the center will see about 236,000 day visits annually, with at least 60 percent coming from areas outside of commuting distance of the region.

“This will benefit the entire region not just Miami Township,” Preston said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-9338 or kmcallister@DaytonDailyNews.com.