P
alm Beach County is poised to vote on Vanderbilt University's proposal for a $520 million graduate school campus, with the Board of County Commissioners set to consider a development and conveyance agreement at its October 22 meeting. The university, known as "the Harvard of the South," has been working behind the scenes to bring its vision for a business and technology-focused graduate school to life in West Palm Beach.

    Prominent local leaders, including billionaire developer Stephen Ross and Mayor Keith James, have enthusiastically endorsed the proposal, with Ross declaring that the county's future will be akin to Silicon Valley if it seizes this opportunity. County staff is recommending approval of the development agreement, which would see Vanderbilt utilize 5 acres of county-owned land in West Palm Beach.

    The university has already secured $12.8 million worth of city-owned parcels for the site, and billionaire developer Jeff Greene is reportedly considering selling additional parcels to Vanderbilt. This comes after a previous plan for a University of Florida campus in the area fell through due to a dispute over naming rights with Greene.

    Mayor James has emphasized the significance of this moment, urging commissioners to recognize that their decisions will shape the county's future for generations to come.