Technology in region is growing fast

Gainesville Sun - May 17, 2001
By JOE COOMBS
Sun staff writer

When business and educational leaders created a "technology corridor" five years ago between the Tampa Bay area and Cape Canaveral, they probably had no idea that the arrangement would pay off so soon.

Since 1996, the Florida High Tech Corridor has snared millions in grants from the public and private sectors, and the money has been used to expand and attract businesses, as well as support research and development at the University of South Florida in Tampa and the University of Central Florida in Orlando.

"The corridor concept has basically crystallized the region's activities for economic development," said Guy Hagen, assistant director at USF's office of economic development. "We have gotten a ton of state-level support, and it has created a number of university-industry partnerships. I can't tell you the limit of benefits."

Now, a similar effort is under way in North Central Florida. Morriston resident Christopher Thurow, director of information technology for Bradford County, is searching for contacts in an 11-county region to create the North Central Florida Commerce Corridor.

Essentially, the NCFCC organization would act as a cooperative marketing unit to promote economic development, tourism and other growth in the area - which includes Alachua, Bradford, Citrus, Dixie, Gilchrist, Lake, Levy, Marion, Putnam, Sumter and Union counties.

"Our prime goal is to maintain and develop our communities to be economically prosperous and livable," Thurow said. "There are a lot of splintered interests in this part of the state, and we would like to build a regional coalition."

The NCFCC isn't out to compete for funding with chamber of commerce organizations and other development groups, Thurow said, and at this point is still looking for business and civic leaders in the 11-county area who are interested in making the NCFCC a reality.

He did say that the creation of a regional airport will be a high priority, although it is a "highly political issue." Separate efforts are ongoing to revive Gainesville Regional Airport and Ocala Field.

When the NCFCC is chartered, Thurow said, it will take a page or two from the business plans of the Florida High Tech Corridor and a project called MyRegion.org, which is headed up by the Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce.

In a seven-county region in Central Florida, officials there hope to create a regional framework for decision making in 13 sectors, including education, economic development and tourism, said Shelley Lauten, MyRegion.org project director.

"We're trying to picture how we can be more competitive as a region," Lauten said. "Within any community, there are three legs to the stool - the businesses, the government and the institutions, such as foundation groups. We're getting representation from all three legs, so to speak."

The "corridor" initiatives can be strong tools for earning development grants. The Florida High Tech Corridor, for example, received a $1.1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to fund educational programs to encourage students to pursue careers in technology.

For more information about NCFCC, Thurow can be e-mailed at cthurow@usa.net.

Joe Coombs can be reached at 338-3102 or joe.coombs@gainesvillesun.com.

See May 17, 2001, issue of Gainesville Sun for original article.