TAMPA The University of South Florida's ambitious plan to erect a new 12-story medical education, research and treatment center downtown faces two final hurdles. <\/p>\n
Both involve money. <\/p>\n
The $157 million project needs $57 million in state funding. Officials are confident they'll eventually get it. <\/p>\n
But USF must also raise $25million more in private donations. <\/p>\n
Much more than a medical school is at stake: USF's project is one of the tentpoles of Jeff Vinik's $1 billion plan to redevelop downtown. For Tampa, as Mayor Bob Buckhorn put it, the project will be \"bigger than baseball.\" <\/p>\n
Enter Joel Momberg. It's his job to find the donor or donors who can make USF's dream project a reality. <\/p>\n
\"For $25 million,\" he said, \"you don't do cold calls.\" <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
There's an art to persuading well-heeled donors to part with millions of their own dollars for a good cause. <\/p>\n
\"Everybody is a potential donor,\" Momberg told a Tampa Bay Times reporter. \"If you want to contribute I've got a card for you.\" <\/p>\n
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See the rest here:<\/p>\n
Got $25 million to spare? USF would like a moment of your time<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" TAMPA The University of South Florida's ambitious plan to erect a new 12-story medical education, research and treatment center downtown faces two final hurdles. Both involve money. Continue reading