Disney joins push to expand region's economy
By Jon Steinman
Sentinel Staff Writer
June 26, 2002
Orange County has found an unlikely partner to help diversify the region's tourist-driven economy: Walt Disney World.
At a news conference this morning, Disney President Al Weiss is expected to announce his company's partnership with the county, the federal government, the University of Central Florida and Orlando to create a small-business incubator.
The U.S. Small Business Administration Entrepreneur Center in Orange would be the nation's second -- the first, in San Jose, Calif., is the result of a partnership between the SBA, the city and Cisco Systems Inc., the Internet networking giant, among others.
The center provides micro-loans to those with ideas for starting a business as well as training, and technical assistance. Cisco, the prime funding partner for the San Jose center, committed $250,000 annually when the center opened last year.
In his state of the county speech earlier this month, Orange County Chairman Rich Crotty said he was committed to diversifying the economy and that bringing an SBA entrepreneur center to the county would be a key way to get the process rolling. He challenged the county's private sector to join the effort.
Weiss apparently sealed the challenge during a Monday morning meeting with Crotty, UCF President John Hitt and other corporate leaders.
Disney's five-year commitment is expected to be similar to Cisco's in San Jose -- about $250,000 annually. The center, county officials hope, will be housed in county office space somewhere in downtown Orlando. Orange has committed to picking up the tab for the space -- about $1.2 million over five years for 15,000 square feet, Crotty said.
The entrepreneur center would not be Orange County's first or only business incubator, however. The Central Florida Innovation Corp., the Central Florida Technology Incubator and the Small Business Development Center are already up and running in the county.
In addition to girding the economy against another tourist downturn like the one following Sept. 11, Crotty said economic diversification could also increase the region's average wage. Central Florida's average annual wage is $30,198 -- 13 percent below the national rate.
Crotty on Tuesday wouldn't specifically confirm that Disney was part of the plan, but he added, "I have been called to Disney for a press conference, and I'm very hopeful they will be the company that responds."
He said he also hopes other private sector partners will come forward to join the partnership.
UCF has already volunteered to staff the facility with business-development experts until the two federal officials from the SBA arrive -- anywhere from four to six months from today. This could mean the entrepreneur center would be running in two to three months' time.
Disney officials would not comment Monday, but many officials said its involvement in such a partnership would be welcome.
"I think because economic diversification has reached such a high level of concern these days, it's an appropriate response to what's on people's minds in Central Florida," said former Orange County Chairman Linda Chapin, now the director of UCF's Metropolitan Center for Regional Studies. "A whole variety of sources is saying our tourism industry is in large part responsible for our low paying jobs and to aggressively seek other industries. So it would be very good strategy on Disney's part to say, 'Let us be part of the solution.' "
Former Orlando Mayor Bill Frederick, who has long encouraged area businesses to get more involved in issues, said that if the news is true, "It's delightful."
"It foreshadows more to come, let's hope," Frederick said. "Disney is our biggest business presence in the community, and I think we can benefit from anything they choose to do in the community."
Officials of the SBA toured Orange County about four months ago and, during a meeting with Crotty, mentioned their intentions of opening a second entrepreneur center somewhere in the county.
"I volunteered Orange County on the spot," Crotty said. "They didn't need to ask."
In April, Crotty went to San Jose to see the entrepreneur center up close. He returned committed to finding partners for Orange's entrepreneur center effort.
Jon Steinman can be reached at jsteinman@orlandosentinel.com or 407-650-6333.
Copyright © 2002, Orlando Sentinel
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...062602jun26.story?coll=orl-business-headlines
By Jon Steinman
Sentinel Staff Writer
June 26, 2002
Orange County has found an unlikely partner to help diversify the region's tourist-driven economy: Walt Disney World.
At a news conference this morning, Disney President Al Weiss is expected to announce his company's partnership with the county, the federal government, the University of Central Florida and Orlando to create a small-business incubator.
The U.S. Small Business Administration Entrepreneur Center in Orange would be the nation's second -- the first, in San Jose, Calif., is the result of a partnership between the SBA, the city and Cisco Systems Inc., the Internet networking giant, among others.
The center provides micro-loans to those with ideas for starting a business as well as training, and technical assistance. Cisco, the prime funding partner for the San Jose center, committed $250,000 annually when the center opened last year.
In his state of the county speech earlier this month, Orange County Chairman Rich Crotty said he was committed to diversifying the economy and that bringing an SBA entrepreneur center to the county would be a key way to get the process rolling. He challenged the county's private sector to join the effort.
Weiss apparently sealed the challenge during a Monday morning meeting with Crotty, UCF President John Hitt and other corporate leaders.
Disney's five-year commitment is expected to be similar to Cisco's in San Jose -- about $250,000 annually. The center, county officials hope, will be housed in county office space somewhere in downtown Orlando. Orange has committed to picking up the tab for the space -- about $1.2 million over five years for 15,000 square feet, Crotty said.
The entrepreneur center would not be Orange County's first or only business incubator, however. The Central Florida Innovation Corp., the Central Florida Technology Incubator and the Small Business Development Center are already up and running in the county.
In addition to girding the economy against another tourist downturn like the one following Sept. 11, Crotty said economic diversification could also increase the region's average wage. Central Florida's average annual wage is $30,198 -- 13 percent below the national rate.
Crotty on Tuesday wouldn't specifically confirm that Disney was part of the plan, but he added, "I have been called to Disney for a press conference, and I'm very hopeful they will be the company that responds."
He said he also hopes other private sector partners will come forward to join the partnership.
UCF has already volunteered to staff the facility with business-development experts until the two federal officials from the SBA arrive -- anywhere from four to six months from today. This could mean the entrepreneur center would be running in two to three months' time.
Disney officials would not comment Monday, but many officials said its involvement in such a partnership would be welcome.
"I think because economic diversification has reached such a high level of concern these days, it's an appropriate response to what's on people's minds in Central Florida," said former Orange County Chairman Linda Chapin, now the director of UCF's Metropolitan Center for Regional Studies. "A whole variety of sources is saying our tourism industry is in large part responsible for our low paying jobs and to aggressively seek other industries. So it would be very good strategy on Disney's part to say, 'Let us be part of the solution.' "
Former Orlando Mayor Bill Frederick, who has long encouraged area businesses to get more involved in issues, said that if the news is true, "It's delightful."
"It foreshadows more to come, let's hope," Frederick said. "Disney is our biggest business presence in the community, and I think we can benefit from anything they choose to do in the community."
Officials of the SBA toured Orange County about four months ago and, during a meeting with Crotty, mentioned their intentions of opening a second entrepreneur center somewhere in the county.
"I volunteered Orange County on the spot," Crotty said. "They didn't need to ask."
In April, Crotty went to San Jose to see the entrepreneur center up close. He returned committed to finding partners for Orange's entrepreneur center effort.
Jon Steinman can be reached at jsteinman@orlandosentinel.com or 407-650-6333.
Copyright © 2002, Orlando Sentinel
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...062602jun26.story?coll=orl-business-headlines