OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Osceola County and the University of Central Florida are out of the running for a multimillion dollar grant that would have meant business for a new high-tech manufacturing center.
Community leaders broke ground on the planned 100,000-square-foot Advanced Manufacturing Research Center last year.
Osceola County Commission Chair Brandon Arrington was hoping that the $110 million grant would produce a $400 million dollar payback.
"We're a community that's been based on agrarian and the tourism industry for a number of years. It's important that we develop and build that third leg of the economic development stool so we can be firmly seated to take the future on," Arrington said.
Officials with UCF are continuing to try and land two other grants, to make things like advanced fabrics for soldiers in an effort to ensure the $160 million investment pays off.
UCF Vice President for Research and Commercialization M.J. Soileau said fast action is key in the high-tech
"If the first time you knew about something is when you see the opportunity announced then you probably already have lost," he said.
Osceola officials said construction of the facility will move ahead. They hope to open the center in 2017.
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