By FITSNews || The new day-to-day leader of the University of South Carolina’s failed “Innovista” research campus is obsessed with changing the public perception of the botched government-run project, sources tell FITS.
In fact retired chemical executive Don Herriott – who accepted a $120,000 taxpayer-funded position to lead Innovista back in January – reportedly has a comprehensive public relations blueprint aimed at restoring public trust in the boondoggle, which has already wasted over $150 million in public money and failed to produce anything resembling the jobs and capital investment it promised.
Oh, Innovista has also royally pissed off members of the University of South Carolina faculty, who see the costly “economic development” experiment as draining valuable resources and administrative focus away from the school’s core mission.
Anyway, Herriott’s hiring was hailed by La Socialista – a.k.a. The State newspaper – which called him a “heavy hitter” who would “bring new hope” to the project. Of course, La Socialista always been Innovista’s premier promoter, as well as its insurance policy against bad press over the years.
So what is Herriott’s “master plan?”
As far as we can tell it’s more of the same “smoke and mirrors” that has plagued the project from its inception.
Herriott’s first objective is to start filling the project’s empty buildings with two taxpayer-funded “endowed chairs” – Kenneth Reifsnider and Brian Benicewicz, who will move into the Innovista buildings this summer after a wait of more than four years. Because Reifsnider and Benicewicz currently work with two small companies, Herriott plans to hail their long-awaited occupancy of the facilities as a “private sector victory” despite the fact that their research is being paid for almost exclusively with tax dollars.
Nonetheless, Herriott will claim these small companies as early “wins” for Innovista using his “small ball” strategy. He will then claim success with a big public relations (and legislative) push – which will no doubt be orchestrated by Innovista’s new promoter, Richard Quinn.
Of course, Innovista doesn’t really need any private investment now that the City of Columbia, S.C. has agreed to a $154 million bailout for the campus, which is continuing to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars each year from the state budget at the behest of powerful S.C. Speaker Bobby Harrell.
Seriously, where is the incentive for them to go out and find private investors if taxpayers are guaranteeing a sustained stream of revenue?
It’s crazy …
Of course with state lawmakers unwilling to challenge Harrell – and USC trustees unwilling to challenge University President Harris Pastides – expect more of your money to continue being funneled into this ongoing disaster.
By Genomic Repairman April 8, 2010 at 1:48 pm
Wouldn’t Columbia find it more efficient to spend the money on hookers for its citizens so at least it can get fucked in a nicer way?
By DON April 8, 2010 at 2:08 pm
Converse Chellis is all on board with this crap., as he stated in the newspaper on Sunday.
A fundraiser of his, Lee Bussell, is head of Chernoff Newman that handles part of Innovista. Lee is hosting a big dollar event for him very soon, and at the event will be every good ole boy in Columbia. All sucking at the State’s tit.
Harrell tells Converse what to do and he does it, no matter what the cost. This program is just 150 million dollar of crap. Thanks Mr. Treasure. Thanks Mr Speaker.
By . April 8, 2010 at 8:25 pm
Lee Bussell’s paychecks are signed in garnet and black to spin Innovista.
By Rebel April 8, 2010 at 9:47 pm
“…his “small ball” strategy.”
Really.
By Pete April 9, 2010 at 5:19 am
It’s a ‘no balls’ strategy. Pastides has lost support
of this ‘research stars’. The CoEE chairs are not
just ‘frustrated’- they are losing some of their scientific
reputation by being associated with innovista and
Pastides. ‘Future Fuels’ is awfully quiet, ‘Nano’ and
the ‘Moore School’ have circled around the swampfox
crowd- ask any of these ‘champions’ about innovista
and Pastides and you’ll get polite smiles at best.
The emperor has no clothes…
By Tom April 11, 2010 at 6:48 pm
Pastides has lost the support of everyone at Carolina, except for a small bunch that have been bought off in various ways. Yes, “research stars” are rapidly trying to get jobs elsewhere before their reputations have become totally destroyed by this disaster. There’s just a group of out of touch, overpaid administrators who circle around him kissing his… well, you get the picture.
By JimBeam April 15, 2010 at 11:42 am
Is the University of South Carolina a state university of a real estate developer?
The innovista has been nothing but an expensive boondoggle for everyone involved. Private investment simply isn’t interested. Everything there is public money.
The only building that sees any use is the completely unnecessary Colonial Center. The basketball team struggled to fill the Coliseum. Watching them play before so many empty seats is embarrassing and it hurts the team. Can you imagine the Garnet Army in the much smaller Coliseum? Playing in a too large arena kills the home court advantage, especially when they go against schools with a larger following, like Clemson and Kentucky.
The new baseball stadium is nice, but the location of Capital City Stadium would have been a better site for it. It features better parking and is closer to campus.
The Moore School is be moving there, but only because they got a “bailout” of sorts courtesy of Lindsey Graham getting the DOJ to buy their old building. It’s a good deal for DOJ, but that’s not private investment.
Somebody is making out like bandits on the innovista and they are doing so on the taxpayer’s dime.
By Doc Cock April 16, 2010 at 12:28 am
JimBeam = Ron Morris
Don’t try to deny it, loser.