SEMATECH: A Postmortem

Issues and Voices that Matter May 12, 2011

SEMATECH: A Postmortem

This podcast might have described a major economic gain for the city of Winter Springs, Florida …instead this podcast is a postmortem for a regional high-tech research project’s demise. Known locally as the SEMATECH project, a much anticipated multi-million dollar grant from the United States Department of Energy went elsewhere… together with the hopes of many in the city of Winter Springs, Florida and Seminole County. feature length – 21:55

Produced, reported and edited by Stephen McKenney Steck

This report assesses what happened and relies on the perspective of Winter Springs Mayor Charles Lacey who had a ring side seat in the project’s development and who, as mayor, would have seen, close up, the substantial economic success that would have come to his city… if only this development had a different outcome.

In this city hall interview, recorded several weeks after the local SEMATECH defeat, Lacey also offers an update on other economic development issues facing Winter Springs such as the status of Winter Springs Town Center…the Sunshine Law-stumble experienced by the joint economic development task force between the twin cities of Winter Springs and it’s adjoining neighbor, the city of Oviedo… and the prospects of developing Winter Springs’ next budget.

Bios

Charles Lacey

Mayor, City of Winter Springs, Florida

website

Extended Interview & Pictures

Click on the picture(s) to enlarge.

		Mayor Charles Lacey and Stephen McKenney Steck Extended interview (33:03)

Links to other podcasts produced by CMF Public Media featuring SEMATECH and other local economic development issues related to this feature

2 Responses to “SEMATECH: A Postmortem”

Nanci Schwartz says:

May 12, 2011 at 4:44 pm

I’m sure this is an issue that many municipalities struggle with. How do you get businesses that will provide good, paying jobs to come to your area and provide an economic boost. It’s frustrating and I appreciated the Mayor’s candor. I felt his pain.
David Williams says:

May 19, 2011 at 9:13 pm

What struck me most about the interview was Mayor Lacey’s optimistic, but honest, assessment. it strikes me that Winter Springs is in good hands. When a city can take a 7% tax hit and maintain its services without raising taxes, someone has been planning ahead.