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State quietly courts research firm

SRI International may be offered state money to expand near the University of South Florida in St. Petersburg.

By JONI JAMES
Published March 9, 2006

TALLAHASSEE - Secret negotiations to woo a prestigious California research firm to expand near the University of South Florida in St. Petersburg have reached the top level of state government and could include state money for operating expenses, the St. Petersburg Times has learned.

Gov. Jeb Bush and state lawmakers involved in the effort won't talk about their attempts to convince Silicon Valley's SRI International to expand to Florida, citing confidentiality agreements.

But on Monday, Bush invited five of the state's legislative leaders to a private meeting at the Governor's Mansion to meet with representatives of an undisclosed company considering a move to the state.

Senate President Tom Lee, R-Valrico, who attended the meeting, declined to name the company Wednesday, but confirmed the discussion involved a potential project at USF.

Among the key details of the negotiations with SRI, dubbed "Project Waters," that the Times has learned:

The institute's Florida operation would provide up to 40 jobs.

The state has been asked to consider providing as much as three years of operating expenses, in a smaller-scale version of the $369-million commitment the state Legislature approved in 2003 to woo the much bigger Scripps Research Institute to Palm Beach County.

The money could come from the state university system's "Centers for Excellence" program, designed to attract high-profile researchers, or from the state's economic development funds.

The city of St. Petersburg has taken the lead on finding facilities for the company, but it is unclear if local money is being offered to cover such facilities. The Times reported last month that SRI had talked with the Poynter Institute, the owner of the Times Publishing Co., about leasing 2 acres of Poynter property across from the Salvador Dali Museum on Third Street S.

USF president Judy Genshaft, Tampa Bay Partnership chief executive and president Stuart Rogel and Enterprise Florida CEO and president John Adams traveled to California last month to meet with SRI.

The Times reported last month, and U.S. Rep. C.W. "Bill" Young, R-Indian Shores, confirmed, that USF and its Center for Ocean Technology in St. Petersburg were in negotiations with SRI, a scientific institution founded by Stanford University.

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker declined to comment Wednesday night, as did SRI.

"We have nothing to add," USF spokesman Lara Wade said. "We seriously talk to hundreds of companies every year and we maintain confidentiality in any negotiations we have until there is a deal."

Bush's office declined to discuss the matter, or say whether SRI was the topic of Monday's meeting, which was closed to reporters and not listed on the governor's formal schedule.

The governor's staff and two of the five lawmakers who attended the meeting Monday have said the gathering didn't violate Florida's open meetings law because no specific legislation was discussed.

Besides Lee, four Republican lawmakers attended: House Speaker Allan Bense of Panama City, House Majority Leader Andy Gardiner of Orlando, House Appropriations chairman Joe Negron of Stuart and Senate President-elect Ken Pruitt of Port St. Lucie.

Open government advocates said they were disappointed by the secrecy, particularly in the wake of criticism that the 2003 deal with Scripps involved little public input on the front end.

"It shows a lack of respect for the public and their opportunity to see what is going on," said Barbara Petersen, president of the First Amendment Foundation, an open government advocacy group supported by newspapers, including the Times.

U.S. Rep. Jim Davis, D-Tampa, a candidate for governor, blasted Bush on Wednesday for a "culture of secrecy" in Tallahassee. "We are going to change the culture of secrecy and backroom deals in Tallahassee and let the sunshine in," Davis said.

Florida's public records law includes an exemption that allows the state's economic development agencies to withhold documents provided by private companies about their plans for expansion or location in Florida.

SRI is a Menlo Park, Calif., scientific institute that has been involved in the development of many key technologies since its creation in 1946. Among the nonprofit institute's best-known innovations are its development of the computer mouse in 1964 and what many consider to be the first demonstration of the Internet in 1976. SRI has operated independently of Stanford since 1970.

Staff writers Steve Bousquet, Emily Nipps and Louis Hau contributed to this report. Joni James can be reached at 850224-7263 or jjames@sptimes.com

[Last modified March 9, 2006, 03:00:34]