With the ever-popular DisneyWorld, Orlando continues to be the state's top tourist destination, but the area recently completed a strategic high-tech study that clearly indicates impressive growth in the technology sector. The four-county metropolitan area -- Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Lake counties -- claims 4,700 high-tech companies that employ upwards of 80,000 people in well-paying jobs.

"Much of our job growth comes as a direct result of the tourism industry," says Darrell Kelley, CEO of the Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission. "But over the last 10 months, we've had 48 start-up companies, mostly high tech. The reason is we've created an environment and infrastructure to facilitate creativity and support of these new companies. This year we announced 13 new e-commerce companies that have relocated to central Florida. There's a full menu of high-tech companies here, from defense to biotech. One of our fastest growing segments is in information and telecommunications services."

Tampa's EDC Chief Takes New Approach to Economic Development

Stuart Rogel, president and CEO of the seven-county Tampa Bay Partnership, recently discussed the changing role of economic development professionals during an interview with Site Selection. Site Selection: How is your approach to economic development different today from what it was 10 years ago? Stuart Rogel: Our role used to be very focused and narrow and specific. Our job now has become much more diverse as economic developers. We have gone from being almost exclusively dealmakers to facilitators and brokers of a variety of economic development activities and services. Rather than recruiting businesses, which we still do, our focus now is on how to create as many high-wage jobs in the community as possible. SS: How much emphasis do you place today on such issues as fostering a better business climate and pushing for needed infrastructure in your communities? Rogel: We play a much bigger role in business climate issues. Our organization, the Tampa Bay Partnership, is a little unique. We are truly regional because we serve seven counties: Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk, Manatee, Sarasota, Pasco and Hernando. In doing that, we are truly a partnership of regional economic development organizations. Our economic development partners are the ones who work the deals and close the deals. We have to distinguish between marketing our area and dealing with the problems in our community. Prospects are very sophisticated today, and they will uncover those problems if you don't address them. SS: With quality of life being one of the primary selling points for Florida, what is the Tampa Bay Partnership doing to protect and enhance that aspect of your region? Rogel: We have our hands in a number of different quality-of-life issues. One is the transportation equation. We are trying to unite the region to work on a number of transportation priorities. We have also been involved in environmental issues, such as advocating for protection of our water supply and water quality. The regional water initiative that was passed last year has been extremely important. We have also gotten involved with the whole issue of sustainability. We have asked: What kind of growth can we support? Finally, we have gotten involved in education and work-force development. We must make sure that educators understand the needs of the Tampa Bay business community. We must make sure that we have a supply of developed, trained workers. ­-Ron Starner

Kelley, of course, is watching with interest as his brethren to the south market the InternetCoast as the state's coming high-tech and Internet hub.

"It's a targeted sector for us and for them," Kelley says. "Frankly, we celebrate their success because it's good for Florida. It puts the state on the map in creating venture capital and entrepreneurism. "

Companies have all sorts of reasons for relocating a headquarters or siting a new operation. For instance, take Theseus Logic, which was founded and based in Minneapolis. In June 1999 the company moved to Orlando. The reason: Theseus was looking for an infusion of capital, and it found its way to a private high-tech incubator called Milcom, which is in Orlando. One of Milcom's primary goals is to help grow high-tech companies in the city.

Milcom liked the new processes Theseus had developed to produce computer chips, but it wouldn't help Theseus with financing unless it moved to Orlando. Hence, Theseus moved to the Sunshine State.

Mike Graff, the chairman/CEO of Theseus, says the company could have functioned just as easily elsewhere -- he mentions Atlanta; Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; and Austin, Tex. -- but he likes the fit with Orlando. The University of Central Florida has computer and electrical engineering programs that can help provide Theseus with skilled employees. And in Orlando, as Graff puts it, Theseus is a "bigger fish in a smaller pond."

"We will be the most significant employer for design engineers in the Orlando area for the future, and hopefully we will get the cream of the crop," Graff says. "We're dealing with intellectual property, so our primary capital is engineers with heavy ideas."

Theseus, which plans to license its technology to major chipmakers (Motorola is an investor), so far has raised $25 million in capital. It does have an office in California's Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, which employs nine people, but Theseus has 35 people in Orlando and expects that to rise to 150 within three years.