Had Gov. Rick Scott been better versed in the economic benefits of rowing facilities -- read jobs -- we suspect he would not have vetoed a $5 million appropriation for the World Class International Regatta Sports Center at Nathan Benderson Park, just south of Manatee County in Sarasota.
No doubt there are legions of the region’s residents who consider taxpayer money spent on such facilities to be wasteful -- for a seemingly insignificant sport that they would never watch.
Yet the economic return on public investments is undeniable. Manatee County rushed to build a rowing training facility at Fort Hamer late last year and saw immediate benefits as a batch of college teams spent weeks here over the winter and also spent a lot of money on hotels, food and other goods. Those teams and others already booked return visits. Cha-ching.
State Senate President Pro Tempore Mike Bennett put the $5 million allocation into the state budget only to see Scott erase the money in late May. Too bad since the governor is all about jobs and economic stimulation.
Benderson Park is already generating revenue for Sarasota County with its many rowing events. By becoming a world-class stage, the economic impact would balloon. Benderson representatives cite studies that indicate a $150 million annual impact and 1,000 jobs -- and sales tax revenue that would more than cover public investments over time.
But Sarasota County allocated $20 million, so construction on park enhancements will continue. We expect Scott will be properly schooled in these economic benefits the next go-round of the Legislature -- and approve state money.
Grand LECOM weekend
Speaking of economic stimulation, our thanks to the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine for locating a School of Dental Medicine at the school’s Lakewood Ranch growing campus. LECOM breaks ground on the dental school today at 10 a.m., with an expected opening date of July 2012. Kudos.
Already home to osteopathic medicine and pharmacy schools, dentistry will round out LECOM’s offerings here -- and hopefully a bunch of students will enjoy our region and remain to open practices.
Then on commencement Sunday, 77 pharmacy students will earn their diplomas, that particular school’s first class. Another 145 will walk away with medical degrees, the fourth class of osteopathic physicians.
LECOM’s School of Dental Medicine will cost $52 million. Those construction jobs are most welcome indeed, as are the future college instructors and employees.
Quote of the week
Regarding the leaking phosphogypsum stack at Piney Point, this from Glenn Compton, director of ManaSota-88, a local environmental public health organization: “It certainly demonstrates that there’s no such thing as a liner that doesn’t leak. Given enough time, it’s clear that accidents always happen, and this is significant at Piney Point because of the high level of radium and toxic chemicals like arsenic and cadmium.”
