Tampa Bay EDC kicks off 2023 with two exciting new initiatives
January 31, 2023
Partnerships are the lifeblood of organizations like the EDC, and we announced another exciting one last week at our board meeting. John Couris, CEO of Tampa General Hospital, joined me to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the Tampa Bay EDC and Tampa General Hospital to expand and enhance Tampa’s burgeoning Medical and Research District.
Healthcare and Life Sciences has always been a target industry for the EDC. It is also Hillsborough County’s fastest-growing employment sector, adding more than 17,000 jobs since 2018. The partnership between the EDC and TGH is aimed at building Tampa’s recognition as a destination for world class medical and research institutions.
Per the agreement, the Tampa Bay EDC will support the growth of healthcare and life sciences by implementing placemaking initiatives, talent attraction, research and life science business recruitment and marketing services over the course of five years. The EDC will dedicate personnel, provide additional strategic leadership, community development, and administrative services as the district is developed.
At that same board meeting, Archie Collins, President and CEO of TECO, shared an exciting new development in our Placemaking agenda. Thanks to the board’s approval, the EDC will be forming a new 501 (c) (3) corporation, Opportunity Tampa Bay, Inc., or OTBI. OTBI’s purpose will be to provide capital attraction for community development purposes, partnerships with financial institutions, real estate acquisitions and site control, joint venture entities, community development entities, and other community and economic development services. These capabilities will help expedite the establishment of the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute in East Tampa, along with a Maker Space and other projects that will be part of the East Tampa Industrial District Master Plan.
Tampa has tremendous potential to become a global destination for medicine and research, and an exciting destination for innovative manufacturing as well. We are proud to be partnering with our Investors to advance Tampa’s economy and create exciting and equitable paths to prosperity for so many people in our community. And we’re only just getting started!
Craig
