Posted December 18, 2007 20:37

TALLAHASSEE — It's official - the state has signed off on $94 million for the much-anticipated Max Planck Institute at the Jupiter campus of Florida Atlantic University.

Gov. Charlie Crist and Senate President Ken Pruitt this morning gave the Max Planck Society its blessing and the financial incentive to open the bio-imaging center near the Scripps Research Institute.

In addition to the state's contribution, Palm Beach County has committed $93 million to the project, which Crist's office said will bring 1,824 jobs to the region over 20 years, adding up to $2.4 billion in wages and boost the state economy by $5.3 billion over the same period.

"It's an enormous investment in our future," said Crist, accompanied at a news conference by Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie, and Max Planck Society President and CEO Peter Gruss and Kelly Smallridge, president of the Palm Beach County Business Development Board.

"For us, it's a big deal. This is a really big deal," Crist said.