Mitch Perry
To its supporters, it was a case of justice delayed but not denied, when on Thursday the Florida Board of Governor in Tallahassee unanimously recommended the state provide $57 million to USF to move its medical center to downtown Tampa.
The next step in the process for the $153 million center to house the Morsani College of Medicine and the USF Heart Institute is for the Legislature to weigh in. If it approves funding, it will go to Gov. Rick Scott’s desk. Scott has not said definitely whether he supports the move, but Tampa Bay area state and local lawmakers have indicated that they don’t think that will be an issue.
The medical facility is a key building block of developer Jeffrey Vinik‘s master plan to revitalize the entire waterfront area south of downtown Tampa. Vinik has already donated an acre of land to USF for the project.
The unanimous vote was in sharp contrast to the January Board of Governors meeting. Advocates for the proposal considered the vote a fait accompli, but left stunned after the BOG declined to vote on the item, with some board members saying they hadn’t received enough information about the project.
Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn has called the USF medical center move to downtown bigger for the city than a proposed baseball park for the Tampa Bay Rays. He hailed the announcement Thursday, saying, “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. “
If approved, USF would get $17 million this year, and the $40 million spread out over the next two years.
