Weyerhaeuser’s plans to move its headquarters to Seattle in 2016 represents a turning point for our community, and a significant opportunity to strengthen our economy.

Federal Way is not going to be defined by Weyerhaeuser’s departure. We will, however, be judged on the answer to “what comes after Weyerhaeuser?”

It’s a challenge that I fully embrace as your mayor. The sale of the Weyerhaeuser campus opens up an unprecedented economic development opportunity.

The 430-acre Class A campus and headquarters, with proximity to Interstate 5, is a prime property that we understand is already attracting interest from international business. Properties like this do not become available very often. It’s an opportunity to get global companies to consider Federal Way as a home base.

Since the company’s announcement, I have met with Weyerhaeuser and its realtor to articulate the city’s expectations for the property and begin exploring opportunities. Monthly meetings will continue as they develop plans for the property’s sale. While Weyerhaeuser owns the property, any significant change of use will require city approval and we will be deeply involved in the final outcome.

The city will be deeply involved, as well, in marketing the campus and the Federal Way community to potential buyers. Success depends on strong partnerships with local, regional, state and federal agencies.

I’ve already met with King County Councilman Pete von Reichbauer and Congressman Adam Smith to discuss county and federal support in recruiting a new tenant to the site. In addition to their leadership, I am reaching out to other regional and federal officials, as well as state officials.

While no one wants to see a corporate icon like Weyerhaeuser leave, by any measure, the Weyerhaeuser of today is not the company that moved here in 1971. As recently as 10 years ago, the headquarters employed 3,029 people. By 2013, that was down to 1,321. The company’s downsizing accelerated in 2010 when it converted to a Real Estate Investment Trust. The move will involve relocating 800 jobs to Seattle, not all of those held by people who live in Federal Way.

While the company’s downsizing and conversion to a real estate holding firm significantly reduced the company’s local economic footprint, the city appreciates the tremendous impact the company has had on the community since moving to Federal Way.

Over the years, the city has worked successfully with Weyerhaeuser to support its corporate headquarters, annexing the land into the city in 1994 at the company’s request and more recently working with company leadership to pursue state funding for highway improvements at the Triangle Project that would enhance traffic flow to and from the headquarters and east campus developments.

Weyerhaeuser CEO Doyle Simons cited the reasons for the move as needing a smaller and less costly headquarters than the campus the company owns in Federal Way, and closer proximity to the Seattle labor market. The Federal Way campus is more than triple the capacity of the company’s current needs and presents costly overhead issues.

Although the city has a 24-year history of working with company officials to support the Weyerhaeuser campus, the city has no influence on the factors behind the relocation. The company made its decision based on Weyerhaeuser’s best interests.

Moving forward, the city will ensure the future of the Weyerhaeuser campus is decided on the best interests of the Federal Way community. The work we are doing will ensure that by 2016, when Weyerhaeuser moves, the Federal Way campus will be ready to welcome an employer or employers that strengthens the local economy. This prime corporate campus can bring more than 800 jobs to Federal Way.

The course of history is often shaped by how we react to events, more than the events themselves. That’s the case here, with the Weyerhaeuser campus’s next tenant yet to be determined. By 2016, we’ll be able to look backward and see this as an important turning point that leveraged Weyerhaeuser’s departure into a brighter economic future for Federal Way.

Jim Ferrell is the mayor of Federal Way.