TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Florida State University and Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare say they are teaming up to bring a big economic boost to the area.
“I’m very excited,” shared FSU President, Richard McCullough.
“It’ll have a big impact,” added TMH CEO, Mark O’Bryant.
The two leaders working on opposite ends of Tallahassee reflected on a new collaboration that will bring FSU and TMH teams together.
“Over the next three years we estimate that we have $1 billion in construction projects here at Florida State, which includes the $125 million project on TMH’s campus, FSU Health,” McCullough said.
FSU Health is an idea that both McCullough and O’Bryant said has been years in the making. FSU said the new building will offer advanced medical training and research opportunities. It will also include educational, medical and research laboratory space.
“It’s about bringing research to Tallahassee…medical research,” O’Bryant explained.
“Bringing research dollars to the area in the form of government contracts and corporate research and foundation research brings more money into the region,” McCullough added.
FSU said the preliminary, conservative economic impact of the new center alone is expected to support more than 1,500 jobs directly and indirectly. More than 1,000 jobs are expected to be created for construction. It is also expected to add more than $217 million to the local economy ever year.
“This will help us, because it’ll give us a better platform for expanding into additional residency programs,” O’Bryant said.
Both leaders said they are working to help fill the gap when it comes to jobs in the healthcare field. For example, a Florida Hospital Association report from 2021 estimated the state would be short about 60,000 nurses by 2035.
“We already started expanding our nursing program,” McCullough said. “We have a new, amazing nursing dean. We’re being very aggressive doing what we can to help everybody out.”
FSU said this project will enhance the university’s training opportunities for the next generation of health care workers. Nearly 60 percent of FSU's physician alumni practice in Florida or a Florida bordering county. It’s expected to be up and running, “probably a couple of years if everything goes well,” McCullough said.
FSU said the center will provide about 130,000 gross square feet of medical and research-related space distributed over five floors. It’s planned for land along Centerville Road.
FSU says the building is funded by a $125 million appropriation from the Florida Legislature.
