The growth in Central Florida's technology industry may be in areas such as downtown Orlando and the Medical City in Lake Nona, but Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer thinks that could all change in the near future.

  • Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer speaks to Osceola County leaders about tech businesses
  • Osceola leaders hope SunRail, new parkway will bring more business

Dyer traveled to neighboring Osceola County on Tuesday to talk to business leaders there about bridging connections between the two areas.

“You may not know that we have the most vibrant modeling simulation and training industry cluster in the entire world right here in Central Florida,” Dyer said.

Marcy Theobald, a St. Cloud cleaning service owner and Realtor, said her business depends on growth, and she says brining new technology industries and big businesses will help not just her business but the entire community.

“If Orlando knows what St. Cloud has to offer, they are going to start bringing them this way,” she said. “A lot more people will travel to this area and work here instead of live here and transport somewhere else to work.”

With $10 million invested in projects such as SunRail, which is coming to Kissimmee in 2018, and new roadways such as the Poinciana Parkway, both elected officials and area business owners are hoping that will force some big change.

Already in the works is Osceola’s big new research center that will develop sensor technology — a facility expected to generate about 4,000 jobs. The median income at the project could be about $130,000, according to the County Manager.

But that’s just one industry of many Osceola leaders say they will need to overcome the 5.7 percent unemployment rate.

“To marry the two (counties) together — we have Kissimmee and we have Orlando, we have Lake Nona, we have St. Cloud — we need to all be on the same road,” Theobald said.


Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer speaks to Osceola County business leaders Tuesday, May 17, 2016.