County 'a player' in bioscience push

Officials say Pasco can attract top firms if it is willing to come up with the money.

By JODIE TILLMAN
Published June 28, 2007

ODESSA - In the race to bring bioscience companies to Florida, where does Pasco County stand?

Not far back - but not as close as it could be, say county economic leaders who are renewing a push to attract the industry after Pasco lost a bid last year to land a major cancer research institute.

The Pasco Economic Development Council sent one of its top officials, Bryan Kamm, to bioresearch hotspot San Diego earlier this month, where he met with five major institutes, two manufacturers and network organizations that link scientists with venture capitalists.

His assessment? Pasco is close enough to the action - including University of South Florida and the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center - to benefit from bioscience companies' tendency to cluster near medical institutes and one another.

"We're a player, " said Kamm, a Pasco EDC project manager, at the agency's board meeting Wednesday.

Officials agreed to begin identifying potential areas for these companies, such as along State Road 54, and working with property owners to see if some land can be preserved for such uses.

But the No. 1 question is how much money Pasco is willing to give for a piece of the bioresearch pie.

"Our biggest problem is going to continue to be competing with other counties, " said board chairwoman Georgianne Ratliff.

Last December, for instance, Hillsborough beat out Pasco to attract a joint venture between Moffitt and giant drugmaker Merck & Co. Inc. to develop cancer treatments.

Hillsborough commissioners approved a $28-million subsidy for the project, their largest subsidy that doesn't involve a sports team. In addition, the venture is getting $800, 000 in cash from Tampa and land valued at $1.2-million.

Pasco County offered $15-million, plus 140 acres for the center and a business park offered by owners of the developing Wiregrass Ranch area of southeast Pasco.

John Walsh, vice president for Pasco EDC, said upping the ante to get the project "would've paid off." But he said Pasco could still benefit from the institute's location in Hillsborough. The project will spawn spin-off companies, he said, that might be interested in locating in Pasco.

"There are always going to be opportunities because of the energy in the region, " he said.

Jodie Tillman can be reached at 727 869-6247 or jtillman@sptimes.com.

[Last modified June 27, 2007, 21:34:21]