TAMPA A university proposes a big expansion from its outlying campus to the heart of downtown. The mayor calls it a game changer. Downtown business folks rejoice.

That sounds a lot like the University of South Floridas recent announcement that it is considering relocating its medical school to downtown Tampa. But it is also a scene playing out in Orlando, where the University of Central Florida wants to push into the city center.

And both Florida schools point to Phoenix, where Arizona State University has strayed from its main Tempe campus into the land of the skyscrapers to tremendous success.

Kansas City, Milwaukee, San Diego all are hoping to lure university expansions in their city centers.

It is a trend, said Wellington Duke Reiter, a senior adviser to ASUs president who was instrumental in that schools expansion from the so-called East Valley into downtown Phoenix. It tends to be in cities whose downtown is not as vibrant as they might like. Many of these cities have wonderful downtowns, but they want to see more activities.

Reiter said major sports centers do a lot for downtown revitalization, but not consistently. Major company relocations, of course, also help beef up a moribund downtown.

But universities might be the best answer in that once they are located in an area, they never leave, he said. They continue to grow, they continue to plan. Theyre a good play.

Rumors had swirled that USF was interested in moving its crowded Morsani School of Medicine from the main Fowler Avenue campus to downtown Tampa, and last month President Judy Genshaft confirmed it was on the table.

On Oct. 14, a USF trustees committee revealed that Jeff Vinik, owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning and a major downtown real estate developer, was offering a parcel at Meridian Avenue and Channelside Drive to the university for the medical school.

If youre sitting in Judy Genshafts seat, the opportunity to create a signature building in the downtown core with USF establishing a footprint there is a game-changer for USF and for downtown Tampa, said Mayor Bob Buckhorn.

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USF plan for downtown campus part of national trend