Smoke And Mirrors

Tom Lake: This thing hinges on faith, and cash, and the goodness of Greg Neal's word. If it all comes together, Tampa will have what may be the nation's grandest community college. If Neal can deliver, private investors will pour more than $200-million into the Dale Mabry campus of Hillsborough Community College, making it a world-class sports-medicine destination with a luxury hotel and a culinary institute. Professional athletes will come to see elite orthopedic surgeons. Students will learn from experts in sports nutrition and hotel management. More than 400 jobs will be created. College officials are so impressed by what Neal has told them that they are seriously considering renting his company nearly 50 of their most valuable acres for the next 50 years. But there is cause for doubt.

A St. Petersburg Times investigation of Neal's claims and credentials found nearly 20 statements that were exaggerated, misleading, disputed, or downright false. And public administrators repeated some of those claims in official documents without independently confirming them.