Thursday, November 16, 2023

Triumph Gulf Coast votes to move $98M FSU project forward to support aerospace, manufacturing facilities in Bay County

 I have stated for decades that FSU BADLY needed to be involved in aerospace given it's geographic location to so many military installations.  This was decades to late, but thankfully, the new president is on the ball.


Triumph Gulf Coast votes to move $98M FSU project forward to support aerospace, manufacturing facilities in Bay County

The Triumph Gulf Coast Board voted this week to support a $98.4 million Florida State University project that would build aerospace and advanced manufacturing facilities in Panama City.  

The Institute for Strategic Partnerships, Innovation, Research, and Education (InSPIRE) will include operations within or near the Northwest Florida Beaches Airport and the adjacent Venture Crossings technology park. The facilities constructed as part of the institute will be designed to accommodate both secure and open contract and grant work for the aerospace and defense industries.  

On Tuesday, Nov. 7, a delegation from FSU that included President Richard McCullough and Vice President for Research Stacey Patterson presented the proposal to the board, which voted unanimously to forward the project. The university and board will now negotiate the terms and contract.   

“We are so appreciative of the Triumph Board for their support of this project and seeing the vision we have for the institute,” McCullough said. “FSU is invested, not just in Tallahassee, but in the entire Florida Panhandle and beyond. We believe when we work together with industry to promote economic development and partner closely with the community, it expands opportunities for everyone in the region. This project takes advantage of FSU’s expertise and resources, and it is designed specifically to serve the Panhandle’s needs and have a generational impact on the region.” 

Triumph will provide $98.4 million, and the university will invest another $65 million over the next 10 years. The university has also committed to securing more than $230 million in contract and grant activity.

Initial economic projections suggest that for every $1 spent on the project, there will be $10 in economic activity generated.  

“Florida State has been an incredible partner in proposing and executing projects that can create meaningful change in the eight-county region,” said David Bear, chairman of Triumph Gulf Coast. “The InSPIRE project holds so much potential and excitement for the area. Northwest Florida is booming and already has a great foundation in defense and manufacturing that we can build upon, and the InSPIRE project does just that. I’m looking forward to working with our partners at FSU in the coming months and years to see where this project takes us.”  

The project, as initially approved by Triumph, includes not only applied research facilities but also funds to grow the number of engineering graduates in Panama City. In addition, funds will be dedicated to STEM outreach activities in the eight-county area served by Triumph.  

Triumph Gulf Coast Inc. is a nonprofit corporation that oversees the majority of the funds recovered by the Florida attorney general for economic damages to the state from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Triumph is required to administer the funds to projects in the eight counties that were disproportionately affected by the oil spill — Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf, Franklin and Wakulla.  

“When I was in the Legislature, I was proud to have helped create Triumph, and it’s projects like these that are so important to this region’s growth and sustainability,” said Jimmy Patronis, chief financial officer of Florida. “Through my appointment authority, we wanted to ensure only the best projects made it through, and I’m thrilled to see the university develop and promote new projects and economic development in the Panhandle. Universities are home to great innovators, and Florida State University is no exception. This project will take those innovative minds and put them to work building greater aerospace and manufacturing research and development efforts in the Panhandle.” 

FSU has previously worked with Triumph on projects at FSU-Panama City and FSU Coastal and Marine Laboratory.  

“This is a monumental initiative that will transform research and development activities in Northwest Florida,” said FSU Vice President for Research Stacey Patterson. “This area is experiencing incredible growth, and there are tremendous opportunities for collaboration in manufacturing, aerospace and defense. We are excited to get started on this initiative and to work with all our partners in Northwest Florida to ensure its enduring impact.” 


Here’s what others are saying about the project:  

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio 

“Investment and innovation are essential for future success and Florida’s commitment to the future is second to none. FSU is a fantastic institution, and I am confident it will use this grant to super-charge aerospace manufacturing in our state.”  

U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn  

“This is outstanding news for Florida’s Second Congressional District! I’m grateful to the Triumph Gulf Coast Board for seeing this vision for Florida’s Panhandle. Panama City is now home to the F-35 Lightning II and many other big names in aerospace and defense. This is an excellent location and I’m looking forward to seeing the growth to come from Florida State University’s investment in the region.” 

State Sen. Jay Trumbull 

“Northwest Florida is filled with so many dedicated individuals and institutions that want to see this area thrive. The work by Florida State University and Triumph Gulf Coast on this project is the perfect example of that. InSPIRE offers incredible opportunities for the area to grow its manufacturing and aerospace capabilities while providing high-paying jobs and educational opportunities for its residents. I am excited to see this project move forward and to work with FSU, Triumph and the residents and businesses in the area to ensure its success.”  

State Rep. Griff Griffitts 

“As a lawmaker and small business owner, I’ve had the honor to work with so many wonderful individuals who are excited to see the Panama City-area grow and become a destination for top notch companies and employees. FSU and Triumph Gulf Coast understand the potential for this region and the InSPIRE project gives us an unparalleled opportunity to boost our aerospace and manufacturing workforce. I am so pleased by FSU and TGC’s commitment to this project and to the economic development of Bay County and the greater Northwest Florida region.” 

Florida State University is moving forward with efforts to build aerospace and advanced manufacturing facilities in Bay County.

Last week The Triumph Gulf Coast Board voted unanimously to support the university’s proposal by awarding a $98.4 million grant toward the project.

Bay Economic Development Alliance President Becca Hardin said the grant is the largest amount awarded by the board and the research center will be a game changer.

“We’re going to market this program and advanced manufacturers throughout the world,” Hardin said. “To be able to have the research and development capabilities targeting additive manufacturing and advanced aerospace manufacturing is like something that most communities don’t have. We’ll be one of the very few in the United States so to have those assets companies will want to be close to that research center so that they can look at testing products and developing advanced technology in that inspire center.”

The program, referred to as the Institute for Strategic Partnerships, Innovation, Research, and Education (InSPIRE), will include operations near the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport. The facilities built as part of the institute will be designed to accommodate both secure and open contract and grant work for the aerospace and defense industries.

Florida State University Vice President of Research Stacey Patterson said the move will enhance talent development, industry recruitment, and diversify Bay County.

“FSU has about 45,000 students that come here in Tallahassee that are recruited from all over the world,” Patterson said. “We believe that this InSPIRE center will help us to retain some of that talent in our region once they graduate and so really fulfilling that circle and giving more students the opportunity to stay in our region.”

The project, as initially approved by Triumph, includes not only applied research facilities but also funds to grow the number of engineering graduates in Panama City. In addition, funds will be dedicated to STEM outreach activities in the eight-county area served by Triumph.

Once completed officials expect the facility to be around 30,000 square feet and cost a total of $400 million dollars.

In addition to Triumph’s $98.4 million, the university will invest another $65 million over the next 10 years. The university has also committed to securing more than $230 million in contract and grant activity.

The university and board will now negotiate the exact terms and contract.

FSU officials expect to break ground in January of 2025.


BOT notes: FSU lands aerospace project; Doak renovation begins next week

The other propellant – aerospace –has been gestating for nine months and came to fruition last Tuesday when Triumph Gulf Coast and Florida State University agreed to a $98.4 million grant for workforce development and training.

“We had talked about putting together an audacious plan to go to Triumph Gulf Coast to build something in aerospace and advanced manufacturing down in the panhandle because there is Airbus in Mobile, Alabama, Naval Research, Eglin AFB, Tyndall AFB, which you heard is investing $5 billion (in the area), so aerospace has a tremendous concentration already going there but one of the things missing is workforce training and development.”

McCullough praised and named a large team of FSU staff members and faculty who “worked diligently on it for nine months.”

McCullough called the grant “big news” and a “big bet.”

“Overall, it’s a $400 million project where we will have over 100 people in two buildings of 100,000 square feet,” he said. “It could be transformational for that region. It’s a big bet but we believe this kind of bet is the kind of bet that will lead to very large amounts of new research funding.”

The grant is targeted to generate an additional $38 million in research dollars per year over the next five to 10 years.

McCullough said some of the work would be classified research. “We’ll be doing things like hypersonic testing, hypersonic wings, hypersonics for the future. It will have a major impact in the panhandle and also help transform our engineering school.”

McCullough talked about investments in faculty retention, putting $22 million in new money into play to attract targeted national academy members, of which engineering has already hired one and is expecting to hire a second.


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