Treasure Coast can give symbolic support for PBC's Planck effort
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By Jim Turner
Posted at 09:38 AM on September 19, 2007
This could seem a bit self-serving, but we on the Treasure Coast - those trying to make the Research Coast a reality - need to strongly encourage Palm Beach County to land the Max Planck Society.
I talking a full-court-press of encouragement that would dwarf the "I (heart) Piper" campaign.
The Munich-based biomedical research firm would give Florida Atlantic University, with its growing research efforts in St. Lucie County, a third major brand for its marquee. And not to diminish Scripps Florida in Jupiter as a major name, or the credence Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies gives the Treasure Coast as a life science player, but Max Planck is international big time. We're talking 23,400 employees worldwide, 76 spin-off companies in the past 17 years, 16 Nobel Prize winners in the last 60 years.
More importantly, it wouldn't cost us anything. Palm Beach County has to fork up $86.7 million and Florida the remaining $94.9 million.
Yes some of that state money - part of the $250 million Innovation Incentive Fund legislators have benchmarked for attracting new life science - comes from the Treasure Coast. But it's going to be spent. Might as well be where we can see it and hopefully soak up some of the potential economic benefits.
Besides, the Treasure Coast isn't going to luck out like it did last summer when the same board of elected officials basically chased Torrey Pines north to Port St. Lucie.
Peter Gruss, president of Max Planck Society, said Jupiter is where he wants to be. "I do not anticipate major problems, I'm not thinking negatively, I'm thinking positively," Gruss said after Palm Beach County Commissioners agreed, in concept, to help bankroll the society's expansion into Florida.
But it's not a done deal. Despite the commission's fawning, but Commissioner Mary McCarty, who has made a career of keeping blankets wet, said it's important to know where the money is coming from. "We need a dose of reality on this kumbayah-fest," she said.
Also, the Treasure Coast doesn't have the money if Palm Beach County screws this up. Even if the state gave a discount for communities that already attracted a biotech company, we'd be hard press to talk our short sighted taxpayers into even a quarter of what Palm Beach County is being asked to put up.
Jupiter Mayor Karen Golonka, who has already seen two major league baseball teams, the FAU Honors College and Scripps Florida come to town during her term, is doing her own lobbying for Max.
"As we look at the slowdown in the construction industry, we've all said we need to position our county for the future with a sustainable economy, which is why Palm Beach County has been so interested in life science," she said. "The opportunity to be involved in changing our future, in the welfare of not just this area but the world, even those who will not be directly involved have to feel a sense of pride."
That change expands north.
Still, for own selfish needs, we can help.
Palm Beach County Commissioner Jess Santamaria, who made millions as a developer, agreed to put up $100,000 as a means to encourage businesses in his county that support the growth of bioscience to put their money where their mouth"s are.
Those on the Treasure Coast, lead by the economic development groups, should make a similar effort.
Ours could be a more symbolic, $100 here, $1,000 there: a gesture that we support something that is good for all of South Florida.
If someone credible, like the EDC of St. Lucie County, holds the pledge ledger I've got your first 100 bio bucks.
Of course that's so I don't sound too selfish asking others to do the same.
Posted at 09:38 AM on September 19, 2007
This could seem a bit self-serving, but we on the Treasure Coast - those trying to make the Research Coast a reality - need to strongly encourage Palm Beach County to land the Max Planck Society.
I talking a full-court-press of encouragement that would dwarf the "I (heart) Piper" campaign.
The Munich-based biomedical research firm would give Florida Atlantic University, with its growing research efforts in St. Lucie County, a third major brand for its marquee. And not to diminish Scripps Florida in Jupiter as a major name, or the credence Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies gives the Treasure Coast as a life science player, but Max Planck is international big time. We're talking 23,400 employees worldwide, 76 spin-off companies in the past 17 years, 16 Nobel Prize winners in the last 60 years.
More importantly, it wouldn't cost us anything. Palm Beach County has to fork up $86.7 million and Florida the remaining $94.9 million.
Yes some of that state money - part of the $250 million Innovation Incentive Fund legislators have benchmarked for attracting new life science - comes from the Treasure Coast. But it's going to be spent. Might as well be where we can see it and hopefully soak up some of the potential economic benefits.
Besides, the Treasure Coast isn't going to luck out like it did last summer when the same board of elected officials basically chased Torrey Pines north to Port St. Lucie.
Peter Gruss, president of Max Planck Society, said Jupiter is where he wants to be. "I do not anticipate major problems, I'm not thinking negatively, I'm thinking positively," Gruss said after Palm Beach County Commissioners agreed, in concept, to help bankroll the society's expansion into Florida.
But it's not a done deal. Despite the commission's fawning, but Commissioner Mary McCarty, who has made a career of keeping blankets wet, said it's important to know where the money is coming from. "We need a dose of reality on this kumbayah-fest," she said.
Also, the Treasure Coast doesn't have the money if Palm Beach County screws this up. Even if the state gave a discount for communities that already attracted a biotech company, we'd be hard press to talk our short sighted taxpayers into even a quarter of what Palm Beach County is being asked to put up.
Jupiter Mayor Karen Golonka, who has already seen two major league baseball teams, the FAU Honors College and Scripps Florida come to town during her term, is doing her own lobbying for Max.
"As we look at the slowdown in the construction industry, we've all said we need to position our county for the future with a sustainable economy, which is why Palm Beach County has been so interested in life science," she said. "The opportunity to be involved in changing our future, in the welfare of not just this area but the world, even those who will not be directly involved have to feel a sense of pride."
That change expands north.
Still, for own selfish needs, we can help.
Palm Beach County Commissioner Jess Santamaria, who made millions as a developer, agreed to put up $100,000 as a means to encourage businesses in his county that support the growth of bioscience to put their money where their mouth"s are.
Those on the Treasure Coast, lead by the economic development groups, should make a similar effort.
Ours could be a more symbolic, $100 here, $1,000 there: a gesture that we support something that is good for all of South Florida.
If someone credible, like the EDC of St. Lucie County, holds the pledge ledger I've got your first 100 bio bucks.
Of course that's so I don't sound too selfish asking others to do the same.
