University of South Florida Planned New Tech Building
The state committed $35 million for a dedicated facility to house the growing Bellini College in Tampa.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Higher Education
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The University of South Florida plans to construct a new building for its Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing at its Tampa campus. State officials have committed $35 million to support the project.
Why it matters
The new facility will provide a permanent home for the college, which currently holds classes in various buildings across the campus. It aims to consolidate the college's programs into a single dedicated space.
The Bellini College serves over 3,000 students and faculty across 17 degree programs and certificates. The proposed building site is located at the intersection of LeRoy Collins Boulevard and USF Alumni Drive.
The players
University of South Florida
This public research university serves as the primary academic institution for the Tampa Bay area and hosts the Bellini College.
Arnie and Lauren Bellini
These philanthropists provided a $40 million donation to the university to help support the college of computing and intelligence.
The details
The facility is planned for the main entrance of the Tampa campus to centralize operations for the young college. While private donors contributed millions alongside the state commitment, a construction schedule has not been announced.
Timeline
The Bellini College was established in 2024.
The Bellini College opened in 2025.
Culture Shift
The development of this facility reflects the broader shift of major research universities establishing dedicated infrastructure for AI and cybersecurity. This trend follows the rise of standalone AI and cybersecurity colleges within U.S. research universities to meet modern workforce needs.
The construction will physically alter the main entrance of the Tampa campus at the junction of LeRoy Collins Boulevard and USF Alumni Drive. Students and faculty can expect eventual consolidation of their academic programs into a single, modern facility.
The takeaway
The investment underscores the strategic importance of technology-focused degrees in modern university planning. Students should monitor official university announcements to track when the new facility becomes available for use.
Further reading
Learn more about local institutional growth on the Higher Education page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Oracle.
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