Research was conducted by Innovation Insight under contract with the Tampa International Technology Center LLC (TITC). The purpose of this research was to estimate the potential direct “spin-off” contributions of the Tampa International Technology Center to the Tampa Bay area economy. These estimates are intended to be used as additional inputs for a separate formal economic impact analysis, which of itself would be unable to predict how the TITC could change the area’s business climate, quality of life, or attraction of new businesses, jobs or capital investment. The research leveraged existing data and combined case studies of several categories of conference and hotel facilities with expert interviews to estimate these contributions. The methodology included two methods to empirically document inputs: collation of existing research statistics, and case studies of “anchor” technology developments in comparable regions and locations.
Existing Research. Interviews conducted for a previous major research project indicated that many top executives feel that Tampa Bay’s technology sector is approaching a critical mass, but a catalyst and focused collaborative effort would help significantly. It is possible that the Tampa International Technology Center could serve as a visible symbol to catalyze that change.

Case Studies. Case studies of several categories of conference and hotel facilities generated the following observations about the nature of TITC’s potential spin-off effects, as well as the requirements for realizing those impacts.

This project was essentially real-estate market research, and was novel in its methodological attempt to document qualitative “cluster” effects of adding a pivotal high-technology conference / mixed use / hotel development as an anchor to a depressed, but changing warehouse district.