March 14, 2010
Connecting for Global Competitiveness
 While many of their colleagues and friends at the University of Pennsylvania were spending last week's "spring break" relaxing on a remote beach or sleeping until noon, Professor Jonathan Barnett and his team of PennDesign Consultants were traveling across the 13-county super region, learning about our economic assets, touring our natural assets and hearing diverse perspectives from stakeholders in the areas of transportation, sustainable economic growth and the protection of our natural resources. The week began in the Tampa Bay area, where they discussed issues and opportunities for the super region with public and private leaders, toured economic drivers there including Tampa International Airport, Tampa Port Authority and visited important economic assets in St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Hillsborough County, South Tampa Bay and Polk County. On Wednesday, government, business and civic leaders from the 13 counties gathered at the "mid-way" point of the super region, in the Orlampa Conference Center at Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, to hear the progress that has been made in analyzing the data that will illustrate the new economic opportunities of a "super regional" connection, while also helping safeguard the environment and preserve agriculture. During their presentation, the Consultants also helped us imagine the possibilities for our super region, if we develop a "Super Regional Strategy" for transportation, land use, economic and workforce development, environmental sustainability and quality of life issues. | | Upper Left: The PennDesign Consultants enjoy a tour of the Tampa Port Authority during their visit to the Tampa Bay Area on Monday and Tuesday. Upper Right: From left to right: The Honorable Gow B. Fields, Mayor, City of Lakeland; Jacob V. Stuart, President, Central Florida Partnership and Lieutenant Colonel Cedrick Farrior, United States Army Recruiting Battalion, during the "Mid-Project Review" at Fantasy of Flight on Wednesday. | | | Upper Left: Professor Jonathan Barnett, Director, Urban Design, University of Pennsylvania; Shelley Lauten, President, myregion.org and the PennDesign Consultants pose for a group photo in front of the Orlampa Conference Center at Fantasy Flight. Upper Right: Joe Smith, Principal, Joe Smith Enterprises, provides his insight to the PennDesign Consultants during Wednesday's "Mid-Project Review" while Stuart L. Rogel, President and CEO, Tampa Bay Partnership; Florida Faculty Member Bob McCann, Executive Vice President of Client Solutions, Global Technology & Information Center Leadership, The Nielsen Company, and the audience listen attentively. Click here to view more photos. |
On Thursday and Friday, Professor Barnett and the PennDesign Consultants met with key leaders from Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia counties, and visited economic drivers in the Orlando Region, including Orlando International Airport, the location of the proposed SunRail station on Sand Lake Road in Orlando, Lake Nona Medical City, Kennedy Space Center, Port Canaveral and the future High Speed Rail location at the Melbourne Airport, among others. They also heard an overview about SunRail''s economic and quality of life opportunities for the super region and made a presentation to the Central Florida Partnership's Transportation Corridors Task Force. Between now and April, Professor Barnett and the PennDesign Consulting Team will be busy analyzing more data, studying maps and crafting their final report. The findings of this research study will be presented at the Super Regional Leadership Conference, scheduled for May 26-27, 2010, at Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Kissimmee, Florida, and you are invited to attend. Please mark your calendars today! Connecting for Global Competitiveness: Tampa Bay-Central Florida Region is a 13-county effort being conducted by the Tampa Bay Partnership and the Central Florida Partnership, with support from the Central Florida Development Council, Florida High Tech Corridor Council, Progress Energy, University of Central Florida Metropolitan Center for Regional Studies and WORKFORCE CENTRAL FLORIDA, to demonstrate the potential advantages of coast-to-coast connectivity and to develop a "Super Regional Strategy" for transportation and land use, economic and workforce development, environmental sustainability and quality of life issues. Throughout the study, the Consulting Team has been guided by a Steering Committee, Technical Advisory Committee and the "Florida Faculty," experts in transportation, economic development and the environment, some of whom have traveled to Pennsylvania, to share their knowledge and expertise with them, in preparation for their "mid-term" visit to Central Florida last week. For more information about Connecting for Global Competitiveness: Tampa Bay-Central Florida Region click here or visit www.myregion.org. myregion.org is one of four lines of business by which the Central Florida Partnership focuses on "Regional Research and Resolves." By identifying and examining the changing demographics and powerful trends that are shaping the Central Florida Region - myregion.org is helping to identify the issues and challenges that affect our future. Working together with Orlando, Inc. (Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce) focused on Regional Entrepreneurship, BusinessForce (Public Policy Advocacy), and Leadership Orlando (Regional Leadership), the Central Florida Partnership is moving "Ideas to Results." About myregion.org
Click here to learn more about myregion.org.
Click here for the myregion.org Board of Directors.
|
