“Dig This” construction celebration takes place at 9 a.m. on Sept. 20
TAMPA, Fla. (Sept. 19, 2017) – The University of South Florida will officially join the Water Street Tampa neighborhood as it begins major construction on the new Morsani College of Medicine (MCOM) and USF Health Heart Institute.
The “Dig This” celebration event will be held at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 20 at Amalie Arena (Heineken Roof Top), located at 401 Channelside Drive in Tampa, Florida. Complimentary parking for media is available in the Blue Lot (see the map below).
Media are invited to attend the celebration, however, due to space constraints at the venue, USF requests that the media not advertise the event as open to the public. A photo/video opportunity at the construction site will also be available for media on the day of the event.
Attendees at the celebration will include students and faculty, university board members, elected officials, university donors, supporters from the local business community and other partner organizations. Some of the scheduled speakers include USF System President Judy Genshaft, Jeff Vinik of Strategic Property Partners, LLC, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and Florida Senator Dana Young.
The Water Street Tampa location brings MCOM into close proximity to USF Health’s primary teaching and clinical affiliate, Tampa General Hospital, as well as to USF’s world-class simulation center, the USF Health Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation (CAMLS). The investment will strengthen the university’s presence downtown, contributing to its rapid growth.
The new building is on schedule to open in late 2019 and it’s expected to cost at least $153 million. The State of Florida will provide $112 million and the remainder will be funded by USF using other revenue sources, including private donations. The Florida Legislature has already appropriated, and Gov. Rick Scott has approved, $91 million in state construction funds towards the project since 2012. USF will request that the remaining $21.3 million in state construction funds be provided during the 2018 legislative session, which begins in January.
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About the University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, established in 1956 and located in Tampa, is a high-impact, global research university dedicated to student success. The USF System includes three, separately accredited institutions: USF; USF St. Petersburg; and USF Sarasota-Manatee. Serving more than 49,000 students, the USF System has an annual budget of $1.6 billion and an annual economic impact of $4.4 billion. USF is ranked in the top 30 nationally for research expenditures among public universities, according to the National Science Foundation. In 2016, the Florida Legislature designated USF as “Emerging Preeminent,” placing USF in an elite category among the state’s 12 public universities. USF is a member of the American Athletic Conference.