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Polk
Community College
serves the higher educational needs of Polk County from its campuses in Lakeland
and Winter Haven.
Economic
Profile:
Polk County is part of the thriving
I-4 corridor in central Florida. The county's growth is
spurred on by the area's central location and diverse economy:
manufacturing, distribution, health care, tourist attractions
and a new emphasis on high-technology industry. Polk County
is 25 miles east of Tampa and 35 miles west of Orlando. To
businesses, that means an accessible market of more than 8 million within 100 miles.
Polk is
the 8th largest county in Florida, with over 500,000 residents mostly in the Lakeland-Winter
Haven urban area. The county's population continues to grow
at a steady pace and is projected to reach over 588,000 by
2010. Two major international airports are located within
one hour of the Lakeland and Winter Haven campuses. The beautiful
beaches of both the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico are within
60 miles.
The Lakeland-Winter
Haven urban area hosts the corporate headquarters of Publix
Super Markets, W. S. Badcock, Colorado Boxed Beef, Comcar,
Discount Auto Parts, Florida Natural Growers, and Scotty's
in addition to the regional headquarters of State Farm and
GEICO. PCC is among nine institutions of higher education in
the county.
Outstanding hospitals and medical clinics make Lakeland-Winter
Haven one of the state's leading medical centers.
Many high-technology
industries are locating along the I-4 corridor. PCC is part
of a regional consortium of community colleges and universities
mobilized to train workers for high-skill computer jobs.
The favorable
climate of the Lakeland-Winter Haven urban area coupled with
the more than 500 lakes and numerous parks and trails provide
an appealing quality of life. The Detroit Tigers and Cleveland
Indians train and play their Spring Training games here. The
eastern part of the county is located on the "Florida
ridge" that has rolling hills. The Polk County vicinity
is one of the largest and fastest growing regions in the
nation.
Florida has no state income
tax.
Arts
& Culture:
- The
Imperial Symphony Orchestra is one of Florida's
finest and has its home in Lakeland. Annual concert and
performance series sponsored by Polk Community College and
Florida Southern College feature well-known entertainers
ranging from Broadway to jazz, opera, and ballet.
- The
Lakeland Center
 is one of the larger entertainment,
convention and sports complexes in Florida. It hosts a variety
of New York shows, concerts, sports events, exhibitions,
meetings and conventions. It hosts top names in the music
industry on a regular basis.
- The
Historical Museum in Bartow portrays the history
of Central Florida and Polk County from the time of prehistoric
animals of the Bone Valley to the present. Exhibits include
artifacts of Seminole Indians, Polk County pioneers and
the development of the cattle, citrus and phosphate industries.
- The
Polk Museum of Art, Lakeland is one of central
Florida's premier art museums. The museum features several
galleries with
 changing
exhibits and an outdoor sculpture garden. Several smaller
galleries serve the area as well.
Polk
Theatre in Lakeland - a restored 1928
Theatre with an Italian courtyard interior - offers a variety
of cultural activities from films (foreign and independent)
to live performances of touring Broadway plays.
To
The Top
Attractions:
- Cypress
Gardens Adventure Park:
With more than three dozen new rides,
 screams
of joy are now as common as the flower blossoms
at the
theme park in Winter Haven.
The exciting rides
include four roller coasters and the world’s tallest
spinning rapids ride.
Nearby are the gardens,
including a glorious rose garden and a butterfly garden. The
horticultural masterpiece and
spectacular
water ski shows that
have been the
bedrock of the park, which
opened in 1936 as Florida's first theme park.
A water theme park opened on the site in 2005.
Historic Bok Sanctuary
in Lake Wales is one of the most beautiful and famous
landmarks in the state. Its 128 acres of beautiful gardens,
nature observatory and unique garden paths are topped off by a
205-foot stone and marble tower that houses a carillon.
- Fantasy
of Flight, located just off I-4 in Polk City, is
an aviation attraction featuring the world's largest private
collection of vintage aircraft, as well as flight simulators
and reenactments of moments in aviation history from the
beginning of flight to WWII B-17 bombing missions.
Sun
'n Fun Aviation Museum and Annual Fly-In, in Lakeland
features the nation's second-largest experimental aircraft
fly-in and air shows by experimental, historic and military
aircraft.
- Within
one hour's drive are Disney World, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens,
Disney-MGM Studios, Universal Studios, and a
variety of museums, aquariums, zoos and professional sports
teams.
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The Top |
