Moffitt Cancer Center is preparing to open a 250,000-square-foot research facility at its Speros campus in Land O' Lakes, expanding cancer research and bringing hundreds of scientists to Pasco County.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Moffitt Discovery and Innovation Center is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 22. The building is located at 16480 Wilton Way, off Ridge Road east of the Suncoast Parkway.

The facility will accommodate 20 faculty laboratories and approximately 250 researchers by the end of 2026, with work spanning drug discovery, chemistry, bioengineering, cancer metabolism and tumor biology.

The building was approximately 60% built out as of September, with the remaining space reserved for future research expansion, according to a Moffitt Cancer Center update.

New research center designed to encourage collaboration

The Discovery and Innovation Center brings together scientists from multiple disciplines in a facility designed to accelerate cancer research.

During an August tour, Dr. John Schatzle, Moffitt's senior director of laboratory research operations, described how the building's layout encourages collaboration among researchers.

"When we built this building, we kind of purpose-built spaces, collision spaces, places where we're gonna force people to come together and interact with each other," Schatzle told WTSP.

The facility will also include shared research resources and specialized laboratory equipment to support work across different scientific disciplines.

The center follows two major milestones at Speros earlier this year.

The 120,000-square-foot Speros Outpatient Center began treating patients in January, bringing cancer care services to Pasco County. The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Proton Center opened July 27, offering targeted radiation therapy for certain cancers.

The proton center received support from a $15 million donation from Best Buy founder Richard Schulze. Its first patient to complete treatment, Shannon Ruetz, rang the ceremonial bell July 31, according to the Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce.

Moffitt is Florida's only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Speros campus expected to generate thousands of jobs

The 775-acre Speros campus is one of Pasco County's largest health care and economic development projects.

Moffitt projects the development will support more than 11,000 direct and indirect jobs by 2033, with approximately 2,400 employees expected to work on campus by the end of 2026.

The project includes approximately $600 million in active construction funded through Moffitt, the state of Florida and Pasco County. Total planned capital investment exceeds $1 billion, WUSF reported in January.

Of the campus's 775 acres, approximately 500 are designated for development, while 275 are reserved for conservation.

Long-term plans call for as many as 140 buildings containing research laboratories, medical facilities, offices and housing. The first development phase is scheduled for completion in 2028.

Speros is part of the larger Angeline master-planned community, which is projected to accommodate approximately 35,000 residents at full build-out.

Life sciences coalition expands Pasco County's economic ambitions

Moffitt is also helping develop a regional life sciences industry through FORGE, a coalition launched May 27 with partners including the University of South Florida and Pasco-Hernando State College.

The initiative focuses on radiopharmaceutical research, workforce training and production, with projections of 4,000 high-wage jobs and $2.6 billion in economic impact over the next decade, according to a Moffitt announcement.

The Pasco Economic Development Council recognized Speros with its Industry Impact Award on Monday, Oct. 5.

The Oct. 22 ribbon-cutting is scheduled to mark another milestone in the campus's expansion. Moffitt has not confirmed whether the ceremony will be open to the public.