ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- New owners are breaking ground on a re-imagined version of the St. Petersburg Science Center Friday morning. Joe Hamilton is co-founder of the St. Pete STEAM group that's taking over the complex. He says the center will serve not only students and schools, but also businesses and workers looking to upskill. Hamilton says artificial intelligence will be a major focus.
The center will have an AI Village and AI Center of Excellence. It will also work with local businesses to help them implement artificial intelligence to become more productive. Hamilton believes St. Petersburg can leverage Florida's tax climate and the disruptions caused by AI to become more attractive to businesses.
Some of the old center's features will be retained, including the planetarium and the mosaic of the states.
The center closed in 2014, and city officials agreed to sell the site late last year.
It's expected to open next year to summer camps and then to the general public.
Listen to an interview with Joe Hamilton in our Beyond the News podcast below.
Photo: Canva