Local officials are cautiously optimistic after the Florida Board of Governors "unanimously and enthusiastically" endorsed a proposal to build a USF medical school and heart institute in what is now Tampa's Channelside district.
Many local leaders see the med school and heart institute as integral to the success of Vinik's $1.1 billion development proposal in the area, and for Tampa's downtown as a whole.
"Today, thanks to the support of the Florida Board of Governors, we can say with confidence that the University Of South Florida Morsani School Of Medicine and the USF Heart Institute will call downtown Tampa home," Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn said in a press release. "This is a big, bold collaboration. It takes imagination, public and private financial commitment, and tenacity to see a vision as dynamic as this through to fruition. And, it's because of the University of South Florida's continued commitment to academic excellence that building them a new facility with immediate access to Tampa General Hospital and our urban core is the right choice."
The hitch?
Now the state legislature has to approve allotting $57 million for the project over the next couple of years — money on which Governor Rick Scott then has to sign off.
So far, Scott isn't making any promises, either.
Still, given that the Board of Governors last month delayed its decision on the project, causing some uncertainty before it ultimately endorsed the proposal, supporters are optimistic that the proposal's potential as an economic development lightning rod will win it the governor's signature.
"The USF Morsani College of Medicine coming to downtown will foster numerous economic development opportunities for the area including local business and residential growth, as well as increase our potential to attract businesses, especially medical and bioscience, to our County," Hillsborough County Commission Chair Sandra Murman said in a written statement. "This school will bring even more talent and create job opportunities right in our core. On behalf of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, we are very excited for the next steps in USF’s growth.
This article appears in Feb 19-25, 2015.