That was quite the big deal recently with the high-profile, highly-orchestrated acknowledgement by Gov. Rick Scott that he was, indeed, personally earmarking $194 million from his transportation budget toward the cost of the $943 million Tampa Gateway Center. That’s the 2.3 million-square-foot TIA car rental and retail facility that will be linked to the airport by an automated people mover. And that 1.3-mile people mover could eventually be extended to the West Shore Business District.
Several points:
^Although TIA actually had lobbied for $272 million, $194 million is a critical jump start for what is the first phase of TIA’s 20-year, $2.5 billion master plan.
^The Legislature still has to sign off, but Scott seemed assured of passage. This isn’t Medicaid expansion; the governor obviously wants this to happen.
^Scott will never be able to make up for his Tea Party-appeasing, high-speed rail veto that would have cost less and mattered even more. Lest we forget, the rail kill pre-empted actual bids and two independent consultants later concluded that the Orlando-Tampa phase would have been profitable.
^Local officials, including Mayor Bob Buckhorn and TIA CEO Joe Lopano, were on hand for Scott’s Tampa announcement and were understandably and outwardly grateful for major, 21st century transportation help–and all the accompanying, economic implications.
“Yes! This is the best example of strategic alignment I’ve seen in a long time,” gushed Joe-Lo. “We have a governor who believes in tourism, who creates jobs. We have a secretary of transportation who gives us a grant so we can support increased tourism. And we have an airport that has the vision and a project that makes sense, that is going to benefit not only the west coast of Florida, but the entire state of Florida.”
Anyone think we won’t be seeing some form of this quote in a Scott ad later in the gubernatorial race?