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Economically savvy companies find affordability and a convenient location in Florida’s heartland.
Local Economy:
Catalyst for Growth
One of the most intriguing developments in the South Central/Heartland region comes as the result of the Rural Economic Development Catalyst Project, which brings together public- and private-sector entities in an unprecedented display of cooperation.
After three years of study, the South Central Catalyst Project team chose Sebring Regional Airport as the location for its target industry priority, healthcare and sciences. Efforts are now under way to lure industry-related firms to the site.
Of the 13 South Central sites initially reviewed by numerous state agencies in critical areas such as transportation, environment and infrastructure, Sebring Regional Airport was deemed the most ready for development. But the other 12 sites will still benefit, too.
Those detailed agency reviews have given economic development professionals across the region valuable data about individual site strengths and limitations, areas for improvement and marketing assets — information they can use to boost revenue and jobs.
DeSoto County
Huge Projects on Tap
Fort Myers-based Cameratta Properties owns 5,700 acres south of Arcadia in DeSoto County where it will build a master-planned community, DeSoto Estates. Cameratta aims to develop 10,750 residential units and 1 million square feet of commercial space over the next eight to 10 years. A planned industrial park and the arrival of a new concrete company are among other developments in DeSoto.
Glades County
Big Boats, Bigger Business
 River Forest Yachting Center |
River Forest Yachting Center, a $7-million, 30-acre project on the Caloosahatchee River, is expected to have a long-term, region-wide economic impact. Located 15 miles west of Lake Okeechobee at the Ortona lock on the freshwater Okeechobee Waterway, which crosses Florida from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, the center will offer a climate-controlled, storm-hardened inland haven for yachts up to 90 feet in length. Plans call for four 51,000-square-foot steel buildings, each with 34-foot-tall doors, plus an 80-ton lift to hoist the big yachts. Each building will accommodate approximately 65 yachts, and the average boat, according to principal Joe Charles, will be a 55-footer, worth about $1 million. His goal is to store $100 million worth of boats in the first year. “When you bring in $100 million worth of assets belonging to high-end people, it’s going to spur plenty of other growth,” says Charles. Attendant development could include car rentals, hotel rooms, eateries, marine supply stores, fiberglass repair shops and other related businesses — music to the ears of Glades County officials.
Investing in security
Glades may be one of Florida’s smallest counties, but big things are happening here.
In mid-2007, the 440-bed Glades County Detention Center opened to house federal and Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees along with local inmates. The $32-million capital investment means 40 corrections officer jobs, plus 15 support, 20 medical and eight food service staff.
