Jeb Bush to Speak in St. Pete Friday

While former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has been busy denying rumors he is interested in being Mitt Romney's choice for vice president, he is still being politically active in his home state. 

On Friday, Bush will be the keynote speaker at the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Florida Summit, a two-day event at . 

According to a news release, Bush will discuss building Florida’s future. In 2005, ULI business leaders from across the state gathered, under Bush’s oversight, to discuss the future of regional collaboration and how it could fortify Florida’s economic vitality. Seven years later, a news release said, Bush returns to talk about progress made and to discuss potential next steps.

One of the Summit’s general sessions will feature four Florida mayors: Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Giménez.

This panel Florida mayors will discuss how to ensure that the state’s urban regions can flourish, a news release said.

The Summit will feature a real estate-related “Shark Tank” event, in which students from three Florida universities present real-world projects to a panel of finance experts who will weigh in on how marketable the ideas are, and whether they would consider investing in them.

The summit will take place at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort, 501 Fifth Ave. NE in downtown St. Petersburg on June 7 and 8. For the full conference schedule and list of speakers, visit www.ulifloridasummit.org.