UCF lands big economic fish

  If ever question what a university can do for the economy of an area, look at the University of Central Florida. In 1984, UCF and UWF were on equal footing – both small universities under the shadow of UF and FSU.

Orlando and UCF made a commitment to growth. UCF is  now a major university – their athletic teams compete with UF and FSU (yes, they have football team that actually played a bowl game last season). UCF is adding a medical school that is expected to pump $1.4 billion in the local economy within the first decade of its opening.

Yesterday it was announced that Burnham Institute will expand to Orlando – creating 300 high-paying jobs and generating another 3200 over the next 15 years. Burnham seen as ‘big-bang win’ for economy

Folks, we’ve got to get behind UWF and help it reach its potential. The CMP and its downtown campus for UWF are good starts.

Hot, Hot, Hot – Weekend 8/20/06

The hottest posts over the weekend.

1. Port Royal Cocktail Party Buzz

2. Latest Touart and Whitehead power grap

3. Did Elebash write Johns’ viewpoint?

4. Crist pops out of Barkley House

5. Review of Sunday papers across the state

6. BSoc Scorecard – 8/19/06 am

7. David Letterman joins BSoc

8. IN YOUR HEAD RADIO still rocks

9. Kathy can’t pack ‘em in like Charlie

10. From Slate: Washington Buzz for week ended 8/18/06

Studer to speak at UWF graduate program

University of West Florida graduate certificate in entrepreneurship announced its three-course series yesterday. The first course begins Aug. 24 and focuses on venture formation. It will be taught through a case method with successful local entrepreneurs sharing their startup experience. Featured entrepreneurs include Rus Howard, Quint Studer, Ray Russenberger and Steve Riggs.

 

RO NOTE: If the park doesn’t pass, maybe the second course on how to find a job elsewhere.

Hot, Hot, Hot – 8/8/06

Top 10 posts for 8/8/06

1. Todd says Intelligent Design is not abou
2. WCOA Pensacola speaks becomes Marty spea
3. Stop Our City changes message
4. Marty and Charlie road show
5. SOC to handout yard signs tonight
6. We thought Pensacola politics are rough
7. What has WCOA become?
8. Socialist candidate upset with Winners a
9. Florida State paper purchase not loved b
10. Oops, Marty got caught doing backroom de

John Cavanaugh’s vision for Maritime Museum

On the Stop Our City website, Marty, Charlie and crew attack the museum:

The Museum

Q: What happened to the world-class maritime museum that has been touted to the public for the past three years?

The original museum was touted as a world-class museum fashioned after the Naval Air Museum. However, like so many of the features in this project, it seems to have morphed into something else. In this case, a maritime museum/archeological research center which is jammed onto the existing Trillium property with little room to expand.

The original plans for the maritime museum called for the research center to be placed at Bruce Beach, an adjacent property owned by the City. In order to not muddy the waters, Admiral Fetterman conceded to attach the research center to the museum. For obvious reasons, this change in concepts was never mentioned by the CMPA in its presentations.

Again, it demonstrates the convoluted route that this project has taken in order to gain Council approval of the baseball stadium.

Q: Why is a world-class museum important to the project?

A large segment of the economic impact study depended upon the museum generating significant visitor activity. Without a world-class museum, those projections, if they were true to start with, would appear to fall flat.

Much of the public support for the project came about because it contained a world-class museum. Without the museum to attract visitors, the local support and tourist impact has disappeared.

The replacement has been an archeological research center. While this activity is important, it by no means has the same tourist or community impact that a world-class museum would have.

Q: Would this change jeopardize the project?

Yes. The project has been sold to the public as needing all three elements; education, baseball stadium and maritime museum in order to be successful. Drastically changing one of those elements would appear to place the entire project in financial peril.

HERE IS WHAT UWF PRESIDENT JOHN CAVANAUGH HAS TO SAY ABOUT THE MUSEUM – Museum Vision. It’s quite a different vision than one the SOC wants to believe in. The museum will be a world-class facility. Again SOC tactic is to smear and insinuate without providing any facts.

Hot, Hot, Hot – 8/4/06

The top posts of 8/4/06

1. Sorry, Todd – You are a monkey’s uncle
2. Stop Our City, Part 4
3. Port may land big fish
4. Stidham stalls
5. Studer Group/Covenant Hospice Alliance
6. SOC HAS ITS OWN VIDEO
7. UWF prez speaks
8. Drinks on the house
9. Charlie Crist’s double life
10. IN Your Head Radio – 8/3 show

Hot, Hot, Hot – 8/3/06

Blog moves to top 25 (#22). Thanks to Math Quiz and new SOC cartoon.

Here’s today’s top 10

1. Can you pass Eighth Grade math?
2. Stop Our City, Part 4
3. Charlie Crist’s double life
4. Stop Our City calling
5. UWF prez speaks
6. Sorry, Todd – You are a monkey’s uncle
7. Benny Washington wants leniency for bomb
8. Democratic Chair goes after me
9. Healthcare for some, Part 2
10. Charlie just doesn’t get it