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Highlands Today

County Approves Rezoning For Security Training Center

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By JIM KONKOLY

Highlands Today

Published: November 5, 2008

SEBRING - Construction could begin in 12 months in the southwest corner of Highlands County on a $100-million facility for the training of government and corporate security personnel, as well as law enforcement officers, firefighters and first responders to natural or man-made disasters.

The first major hurdle for the project was cleared Tuesday, when the Highlands County commissioners approved the necessary rezoning.

Attorney Bert Harris III, representing the landowner, Southern Farms, said the facility would employ up to 200 staff, at annual salaries of between $60,000 to $80,000 per year.

About 1,000 students could be brought into the facility at a time for training, Harris said.

The potential budget for construction of the facility and necessary infrastructure is about $100 million, Harris said, adding that it would be "one of the more significant investments" in the history of Highlands County.
County commissioners approved the rezoning for the 7,762-acre property located off Graham-Dairy Road, about 10 miles south of State Road 70 and about 3 1/2 miles west of Venus. The site is on the border of Glades and DeSoto counties.

Ron Grigsby, managing partner of the family run Southern Farms, said he was told that rezoning was the key to the prospective buyer lining up financing for the project.

A company named Highlands 7700 has a pending contract to buy the property and would have another corporation, presently being formed, operate the training facility, Harris said.

Tom Quinn, a former U.S. Secret Service agent, is a consultant to the security training center project. He said the facility would emphasize training exercises to develop better communication and coordination among Homeland Security agencies, law enforcement, public safety agencies, and military or National Guard units.

"The key to success in any major crisis is the organizations being able to come together and work together," he said.

Personnel could come to the center for training exercises lasting anywhere from one day to two or three weeks, Quinn said.

The project includes a 6,000-foot runway which could accommodate planes up to a C-130 transport, Harris said. The rezoning restricts use of the runway to staff and clients of the training center.

People involved in planning the training center have "extensive experience in the military, law enforcement and public safety," Quinn said.

"We can be successful," he said, "with state-of-the-art (facilities) and the best instructors and managers" while maintaining safety.

Jim Konkoly can be reached at 863-386-5855 or e-mail jkonkoly@highlandstoday.com

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