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Northwest Business Briefs - Sept. 2007
Destin —
» Legendary Inc. CEO Peter Bos and CEO Steeven Knight of Yacht Clubs of the Americas are developing Legendary Yacht Clubs along the Gulf Coast from Clearwater to New Orleans, providing boaters with luxury amenities and five-star concierge service. Members will have reciprocal access to affiliated locations. Bos’ Legendary Marina at Destin will be converted to the new yacht club format.
Escambia County —
» Gulf Power plans to reuse filtered and treated wastewater from Emerald Coast Utilities Authority’s proposed $302-million sewer plant at its Crist generating plant. The plan allows Gulf Power to avoid siphoning 18 million gallons a day from the Escambia River.
Liberty County —
» Biomass Gas & Electric Co. of Atlanta plans to build the nation’s largest waste-wood biomass plant in Liberty County, to be operational by 2011, generating 75 megawatts for sale to Progress Energy Florida. Biomass’ first Florida project, a 38-megawatt, $90-million plant in partnership with Tallahassee, will begin operating in 2010.
Panama City —
» Pittsburgh-based PCA Development will buy Panama City-Bay County International Airport’s current 715-acre site once the airport is relocated to West Bay, expected by early 2010. PCA will pay $61 million upfront plus a percentage of profits from land sales for 90 years, expected to amount to $38 million in the first 30 years. PCA plans to build a mixed-use development.
Panama City Beach —
» Developers of The Towne of Seahaven received Development of Regional Impact approval, allowing them to move ahead with the 52-acre, 4,000-unit beachside village. The developer, Seahaven Cos., is owned by the Bennett family, four-generation Panama City Beach residents.
Pensacola —
» Following graduation this month, Officer Training Command Pensacola moves to Newport, R.I., ending a 60-year tradition in Pensacola.
Perry —
» Taylor Energy Center withdrew its application for a coal-fired power plant, following growing state concerns over greenhouse gas emissions.
Port St. Joe —
» Florida Freedom Newspapers sued Gulf County and commissioners, claiming its rights to freedom of speech and press were violated when the county appeared about to remove legal ads from Freedom’s newspaper, the Star, over a disagreement with publishing decisions. Sparking the spat were the Star’s decisions not to run an article commemorating Martin Luther King Day or an ad voicing commissioners’ complaints.
Santa Rosa Island —
» Developer David Brannen is preparing to fill a Navarre Beach void left over from 2004’s Hurricane Ivan: No hotel rooms. He’s planning a high-rise hotel and condominium, with a marina and conference center.
Tallahassee —
» The National Institutes of Health has awarded $1.7 million to two Florida State University researchers to evaluate how stents can be perfected. Chemistry Chairman Joseph Schlenoff and associate professor of biological science Thomas Keller will study how different coatings might lessen the body’s perception of stents as foreign objects.
Walton County —
» Gulf Coast Energy, based in Livingston, Ala., wants to build a $165-million ethanol and biodiesel production plant on 50 acres in the county’s Mossy Head industrial park, a site CEO Mark Warner termed ideal for its rail and interstate access. The plant would be northwest Florida’s first alternative fuel production facility and the first plant for GCE.
