OCALA - Marion County may have loose bonds to Orlando, and Alachua County to Jacksonville, but leaders in Ocala and Gainesville say this area is ready to assert its own identity.

Officials from Marion and Alachua tonight will dub the two communities Heart of Florida, unveiling an effort to use their combined resources to strengthen the area's political and economic profile. The event will be held at 5:30 at Town and Country Farm in Micanopy, the halfway point between the Ocala and Gainesville.

A coalition of leaders from Marion and Alachua counties have spent the past year discussing how the two areas can unite on legislative matters, education, health care, tourism, and economic development.

Dr. Charles Dassance, president of Ocala's Central Florida Community College, and Dr. Jackson Sasser, president of Gaineville's Santa Fe Community College, serve as co-chairs of the Heart of Florida coalition.

Dassance said the idea of forming a regional base was initiated by state representatives Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala and Ed Jennings, D-Gainesville. As the group formalized its mission, one of the first goals was to create a brand, or identity, for the region.

"Every other part of Florida has a name, like Jacksonville is known as the First Coast and others like the Space Coast, the Gold Coast," Dassance said. "We don't have a name in this region. The coalition spent a year in discussion to find something to build a consensus around."

The coalition is open to anyone interested. Sessions are quarterly, with CFCC and SFCC alternately hosting the meetings.

Sasser said the days of counties maintaining separate identities are gone.

"It's about combining resources and assets of these two rich counties, and it makes so much sense," Sasser said. "If we don't do this, the long-term does not look good . . . the areas could be consumed by Jacksonville and Orlando if we don't have an identity of our own."

Rep. Baxley said he and Rep. Jennings have watched other areas of Florida work together on regional approaches and believe Marion and Alachua can achieve success by joining forces. Baxley said they had no set agenda for the coalition other than creating unity.

"Working together has always worked better than competing, and we need to do this to show the statewide impact our region can have," Baxley said. "If we speak together as a region we can be more effective."

Pete Tesch, president/CEO of the Ocala/Marion County Economic Development Corporation, believes the regional plan will receive positive reviews in both communities. He said working together gives them an opportunity to tout resources like the regional airport, labor force, hospitals, universities and even tourism development in both areas.

"It's also an important way for business and community leaders in both areas to develop some common messages to our respective legislative delegations," Tesch said.

Brent Christensen, president/CEO of the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce, said the coalition effort is an opportunity to leverage the resources benefiting the entire region. He said Ocala's arts and recreation opportunities add to the region's assets along with a strong corporate community.

"Our community (Alachua County) is drawn to Jacksonville for certain needs while Ocala (Marion County) is drawn to Orlando, and if we pool together, we may find we have everything we need here in this unique community," Christensen said.

Harriet Daniels covers business for the Star-Banner. She can be reached at 867-4125 or harriet.daniels@starbanner.com.

See June 10, 2004, issue of Ocala Star Banner for original article.