9 Investigates: UCF, Florida Hospital plan to take over Sanford Burnham site

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — 9 Investigates reporter Karla Ray obtained a memo showing that the University of Central Florida and Florida Hospital want to take over the Sanford Burnham research center currently located at Lake Nona's Medical City.

Officials at both UCF and Florida Hospital said they plan to pay back the $11 million in unused state funding that was originally given to Sanford Burnham to incentivize the company's move from California to Orange County. That's all that is left of $300 million in state, county and city money that was given to the company for promises it did not deliver.

UCF and Florida Hospital both want to invest millions to create cancer research centers with the help of nationally-recognized partners.

UCF’s proposal points out that it already has the UCF Lake Nona Medical Center and the UCF College of Medicine on-site in Medical City, creating a hyperlocal treatment cluster for potential patients.

“Our whole goal was to build a life sciences cluster, that would be a multiplier for the city and the entire region,” UCF College of Medicine Dean Dr. Deborah German said.

UCF’s proposal wants to lease the facility from Orange County at an estimated $2 million a year, and run with the help of $85 million in private investments. But Florida Hospital’s proposal promises to bring a $100 million investment to the facility, and a partnership with Moffit Cancer Center to launch its research facility.

Both proposals would create hundreds of jobs.

Florida Hospital Senior Vice President Dr. Steven Smith said in a statement, “Our proposal represents a tremendous opportunity to advance cancer care and research in the state of Florida. Florida Hospital and Moffitt Cancer Center are the top two providers of cancer care in the state. Bringing together these two organizations will accelerate the pace of advancements, bringing both hope and life-saving treatments to Central Florida more quickly. We are ready to begin operations at the Sanford Burnham Prebys site on day one, and we are excited about the opportunity to join the emerging life-sciences hub at Medical City. We look forward to sharing the merits of our plan with the Orange County Commission next week.”

Cox Media Group