| 02 March 2010
(Source: Florida Today)
VIERA — Facing a June 30 groundbreaking deadline, Space Florida may finally construct roads, parking lots and stormwater drainage for its much-ballyhooed -- and still undeveloped -- Exploration Park research complex.
After considerable debate Thursday, a divided Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization earmarked $800,000 in federal funding to design infrastructure for the future eight-building cluster.
Six undisclosed high-tech companies have inked letters of intent to move into Exploration Park, Space Florida President Frank DiBello said. These companies may employ 1,000 workers, he estimated.
Led by Brevard County Commissioner Robin Fisher, the TPO voted 11-7 to allocate the $800,000.
"It's all about jobs. And Exploration Park will create jobs," Fisher said. "And I would hope that this body understands that -- after the announcements in the last couple weeks referencing Kennedy Space Center and the space program -- that we need to do everything we can to help create jobs."
Opponents -- all of whom represent districts in southern Brevard -- argued it is not the TPO's role to help Space Florida ink leases with undisclosed companies. Rather, the funds should be spent helping Brevard motorists.
"If the developer wants to come in and do the infrastructure, they need to step up and do it," Palm Bay Deputy Mayor Kristine Isnardi said. "You have all these companies coming in and offering all these big businesses -- and they're going to profit from being here."
The 60-acre Exploration Park site at the south end of Kennedy Space Center remains a palmetto-carpeted field. Cash-strapped Space Florida needs $7.3 million to install infrastructure, said Leigh Holt, county government relations manager.
The $800,000 outlay is not economic stimulus money. Instead, these "XU" federal transportation funds are distributed from Congress to regional transportation groups, TPO Director Bob Kamm said.
Georganna Gillette, a Florida Department of Transportation liaison, said Gov. Charlie Crist included an Exploration Park line item in his proposed budget.
Gillette didn't have any further details, and the fate of Crist's budget remains a question mark in Tallahassee.
BY RICK NEALE • FLORIDA TODAY • February 12, 2010
Contact Neale at 242-3638 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Link to the original story: http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20102120329
