Vanderbilt University opens campus in West Palm Beach

Vanderbilt University is officially coming to downtown West Palm Beach.

On Tuesday, county commissioners approved a graduate campus after months of discussions.

The school will build a graduate campus in business, artificial intelligence, data science and innovation between Fern and Datura streets along Tamarind Avenue.

“We will not necessarily be known just for our golf courses, our beautiful beaches and our shopping, but now also for the quality of our students who will enter our business community at the top of their game,” said Palm Beach County Mayor Maria Sachs.

The county commission meeting was attended by many community members, some of whom are Vanderbilt alumni, who expressed support for moving the campus to the area.

Many praise the university's efforts to give back to the community.

“The university, ranked in the top 20 in the country, has chosen us, Palm Beach County, as the location for its graduate studies and school of artificial intelligence and computer literacy,” Sachs said.

However, only one resident opposed the project.

“I don’t want to waste tax money. “I’m very sad about it,” Alexandria Larson said.

She lives in Loxahatchee but said Vanderbilt University is not what the county should focus on.

WPTV

“The taxpayers are broke, we are broke. And they continue to subsidize these things and we have a lot coming and we have no way to fix things right now,” Larson said. “There are other areas we could expand without negatively impacting traffic, time, patience and taxpayers.”

She is against the donation of land worth $46 million for the construction of the university.

WPTV took their concerns to Sachs, who supported the project.

“There was a resident who was worried about taxpayers’ money. What do you tell them?” asked WPTV reporter Joel Lopez.

“My message to them is: This is not a gift. This is an investment. It is an investment in our students, our children, our grandchildren of tomorrow. I’m thrilled,” said Sachs.

Vanderbilt projects economic benefits of $7 billion in the first 25 years from annual operations and student spending, $14 billion in the first 50 years, and $24 billion in the first 75 years.

The university will create 3,500 jobs in the first 25 years, 70 jobs in the first 50 years and 103 jobs by the year 75.

WPTV

“This is one of our many contributions to the community to ensure that our expertise is used here for the greater good,” said Harvey Oyer, a Vanderbilt representative.

A university advisory board will consist of a representative from all 39 communities.

They have also agreed to provide 1,000 hours annually to a city laboratory where university experts will contribute their data and research to improve local infrastructure.

“The Vanderbilt University campus will not only impact Palm Beach County, but the entire region will benefit,” Oyer said. “It is a historic day for our district.”

There will also be scholarship opportunities for eligible local students.

The university plans to begin teaching graduate courses in Palm Beach County in 2026.