May 17, 2016 — The Tampa Innovation Alliance announced Tuesday that one of the world’s top urban studies theorists is slated to give the keynote address at its second annual Innovation Gathering in October.

Richard Florida is a professor of urban studies and serves as the director of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, as a global research professor for New York University and as a visiting fellow at Florida International University.

“Richard Florida is a powerhouse thought leader on the subject of cities, and his thoughts on building a community that attracts creative class workers will resonate with our members who are working hard to reshape the Innovation District,” the Tampa Innovation Alliance said in a press release.

Florida, a writer and journalist, is also known for his best-selling book “The Rise of the Creative Class” and for his theories on how to foster the growth of prosperous cities.

“With more than 350,000 Creative Class workers, Tampa is a terrific community to come together to discuss the city’s creative and innovative assets and how they can be leveraged to drive future economic prosperity,” Florida said.

The Tampa Innovation Alliance event is part of an initiative to bring together anchor institutions such as the University of South Florida, Busch Gardens, Moffitt Cancer Center, Florida Hospital and RD Management to create a master plan for the 15,000-acre “innovation destination” district that engages businesses and the community.

The Innovation Gathering is scheduled for 6 p.m. Oct. 26 at the University Mall. More details and registration information can be found at the Tampa Innovation Alliance website.

By: Peter Schorsch
Saintpetersblog.com

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