MANATEE COUNTY — SSA Marine, which calls itself "the leading cruise terminal operator in North America," wants to develop a modern cruise port in Manatee County, adjacent to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
SSA Marine says it is working with Tampa-based Slip Knott LLC on a privately financed, multiberth cruise port. The site is a 328-acre coastal property in Manatee County called the Knott-Cowen tract. Construction would take approximately 3 to 5 years if the project were to gain approval.
The site's close proximity to the ecologically sensitive Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve would be controversial to say the least. SSA Marine sees a market among the new, larger class of cruise ships that cannot fit under the Skyway Bridge and is marketing an increase in tourism as an upside to the proposed project, which remains in the early planning phases
The project would require zoning and permitting approvals, as well as public hearings before the Manatee County Planning Commission and the County Commission.
"Initial work has already begun to identify and evaluate potential considerations, including traffic, noise, environmental impacts, and public access," according to an SSA Marine website dedicated to the project.
An SSA Marine subsidiary recently purchased Rattlesnake Key, a nearby 710-acre property that would presumably be used for conservation credits.
The president of SSA Marine's cruise division, Stefano Borzone, authored a guest opinion piece in the Bradenton Herald on Friday, extolling what he saw as the benefits of the project.
9 comments on this item
Only paid subscribers can comment
Please log in to comment by clicking here.
Bill
This is one of the most environmental sensitive areas on the coast, they will have to pay off a lot of government people to get this built.
Saturday, January 17 Report this
RRICH69176
$ talks, politicians listen, can an environmentally sensitive area co-exist with a cruise terminal?
Sunday, January 18 Report this
pdsinc
This would be a cash cow for the developers. At the same time it would be the death of Tampa Bay ecologically. Manatee County, the north county area in particular is light years behind in infrastructure. Try to get around on the overloaded roads in dire need of repair and improvement that now exist. Fishing in Tampa Bay would be a memory.
Sunday, January 18 Report this
terridavis17
I am against this idea in its entirety. The massive environmental impact, due to dredging, commercial buildings, roadways, and massive infrastructure, water pollution that will destroy that area.The roadways are currently overcrowded and in need of repair, what are the plans for the extra traffic caused by the thousands of people visiting per day. The congestion on the Green and Desoto Bridges this will cause, we know this is already a problem. They are talking around 4,000 people per ship, multi-berth means several ships per day: The number of tour buses carrying several thousand people out to the beaches each time a ship arrives. That is adding a lot of people visiting our already crowded beaches. The increased commercialization that will occur in that area and along the route to the beaches, to include increased traffic, there are so many issues regarding this project. Sadly, money talks and those benefiting from these projects only care about themselves and the money they will make. Keep building and we will not have the beautiful environment that once was Manatee County. .
Sunday, January 18 Report this
FrstWordDr
Oh H..L no!!! How do we stop it!?
Sunday, January 18 Report this
san.gander
Manatee County is a really bad location environmentally for this. They should look to Pinellas, or even Sarasota Counties for easier direct Gulf access port with less damage to sensitive environment.
Truthfully, Fort Meyers has the best location for a cruise port... by extending the East Coast's trains to run parallel to Alligator Ally over to Naples and up to Fort Myers, that's an option that would really ease travel in Florida.
Monday, January 19 Report this
eequig01
The Gulf of Mexico is still recovering from the BP disaster. Many species have still not recovered and the experts say millions of gallons of oil and chemicals remain in the Gulf. Do we really want to continue to pollute our waterways?
Tuesday, January 20 Report this
THarte
On the other hand - developers are eyeing all of Florida’s pristine places to do an environmental “flip”.
Word is out - Florida has a governor that uses the states “Forever Funds” yes those same - funds - set aside for environmentally sensitive lands - in which the Governor approved the state to buy 4 acres of SAND at $83 MILLION! Those same developers are seeing a “get rich quick” scheme or a HUGE return on investment - it’s a carpet bagger’s dream returned from the past when Florida’s land where labeled “swamp” in the worst way possible- not understanding the priceless environmental value of what Florida had to offer back then - and those priceless lands gone forever - paved over and mined to their death! And now this - when will this degradation of our precious Florida environment STOP! It stops with YOU - speaking up!
Tampa Bay is OUR home - and it needs to be protected and preserve what is left - of our mangrove forests - our seagrass meadows - our wonderful fish habitat - the home of our endangered manatee! It’s not all about the economy of money. Tourists come to Florida because it’s Florida! IT’s the destination not a place to jump ship and sail away! Our beautiful beaches with their unencumbered views of the water (with no oil rigs in sight). The deepest springs in the world - with their sparkling clear & clean flowing waters. Our Lightning - Our Rays - Our Bucs! Let’s get this right! it’s not about chasing the buck - it’s about home - Our home!
Thursday, January 22 Report this
THarte
PS
Don’t take your eye off the Port of Manatee - call/text email Rep. Bill Conerly’s office - and YOUR state representative and Senator - to vote against HB 4073 - which gives the Port over to State appointments to the Port Authority. The Governor has shown his true colors with his attempt to degrade our state parks with pickle board courts and hotels - the misuse of Forever Funds - how possibly could WE want to turn over the Port of Manatee to his hand! Not now - not until this administration and its cohorts are voted out - completely! Mid-term election year is upon us - be informed & engaged!
Thursday, January 22 Report this