by Dawn Kitterman

MANATEE COUNTY — A proposal by global terminal operator SSA Marine to build a private cruise port near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Manatee County has sparked intense public opposition, particularly from environmental groups and residents concerned about its proximity to the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve.

While no formal development application has been submitted, the announcement alone has prompted citizen organizing, political pushback, and increased public scrutiny of the proposed development, as concerns grow locally about state-level encroachment on home rule.
Last week, on the same day that SSA Marine announced its plans in a guest op-ed published in the Bradenton Herald, a consultant representing Slip Knott, LLC submitted pre-application paperwork to Manatee County’s Development Services Department.
A pre-application is an informal, preliminary step in the county’s development review process, allowing an applicant to seek early feedback from staff before submitting a formal proposal and request. It does not constitute an application for approval, does not guarantee that a project will move forward, and, in some cases, is never followed by a formal submission. A formal planning application, if submitted, would require fees, detailed plans, staff review, and public hearings before the county’s Planning Commission and County Commission.
According to public property records, Slip Knott, LLC is the current owner of the Knott-Cowen parcel—the 328-acre parcel north of Rattlesnake Key and Miguel Bay. In October, a subsidiary of SSA Marine purchased Rattlesnake Key from Cayo Cascabel LLC, a seller that shared a registered agent and corporate manager with Slip Knott, LLC.
Rattlesnake Key Preservation Company, LLC—an SSA Marine subsidiary—announced the purchase in a press release pledging to preserve the island and prevent future development. The ownership ties between Rattlesnake Key and the Knott-Cowen tract, along with SSA Marine’s dual role as both developer and preservation entity, have led to confusion among some residents over which parcels are slated for development and by whom.
Opposition Builds as Environmental Concerns Grow
This week, Suncoast Waterkeeper, a local environmental advocacy organization, announced it was taking action to build a coalition aimed at stopping the cruise port proposal.

In a statement posted to its website, the group wrote, “The proposed port would threaten the health of our shared watersheds, including Tampa Bay, Terra Ceia Bay, Sarasota Bay, and beyond. SSA Marine’s claims about economic benefits and ecological preservation obscure the real, serious harm this terminal would inflict on our waterways, our health, our businesses, and our way of life.”
SSA Marine has estimated that its project would generate more than 31,000 jobs and boost labor earnings by approximately $1.6 billion, projections that have not been confirmed by independent economic analysis. Opponents argue that those estimates don’t account for the potential environmental costs or long-term impacts to existing businesses dependent on the local waterways.
On Wednesday, Suncoast Waterkeeper, together with Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, launched the Stop the Skyway Cruise Port petition, which collected more than 3,500 signatures over two days.
A separate citizen-created petition posted on change.org by the owner of McKeever’s Marine, Manatee County resident Corey McKeever, surpassed 10,000 signatures after its launch the day following SSA Marine’s announcement.  
State Lawmakers Weigh In
On Thursday, two elected officials added their voices to the growing opposition to the proposal. Speaking to Florida Politics, state Rep. Will Robinson and Sen. Jim Boyd, both Manatee County Republicans, cited concerns about environmental impacts and site compatibility.
“I’m not in favor of that proposal at all. I would do my best to dissuade those who are considering that,” Boyd told Florida Politics. “There’s got to be a better place for a port like that than Manatee County on the south side of the Skyway Bridge.”
“It’s all about compatibility,” added Robinson. “To me, this area is in no shape or measure compatible with cruise ships, so economic benefits don’t matter if it’s not compatible. It would permanently change the character of that area to our region’s detriment.”

In response to our emailed request for comment, Rep. Bill Conerly shared concerns that, besides the environmental considerations, a private cruise port development in the area of Rattlesnake Key “raises concerns about seasonal traffic surges, roadway congestion, infrastructure strain, along with environmental impacts on sensitive coastal habitats. Even if located outside the port, increased vessel activity and tourism-related traffic could conflict with SeaPort Manatee’s cargo-focused mission.” 

He added, “Strengthening SeaPort Manatee’s existing cargo operations remains the most responsible and sustainable path forward. For those reasons, I do not support a passenger cruise terminal.”

When reached for comment, Republican Congressman Vern Buchanan, whose district includes the area, stopped short of taking a position like Robinson and Boyd, telling TBT by email, “I’ve heard concerns from residents and community stakeholders about the potential impact of this plan, and I hope to receive more information about how this proposal will impact our community.”
SSA Marine Declines Comment as Questions Mount
So far, SSA Marine has declined to comment further on its proposal, directing inquiries to its website as public discussion and questions surrounding the project continue to grow.

On Friday, TBT emailed the designated spokesperson for SSA Marine and the Rattlesnake Key Preservation Company for the project, asking whether recent statements by state elected officials had surprised the company or might affect its plans moving forward. The spokesperson declined to comment and again referred us to the project website.

A second email containing the same questions was sent to the Director of Communications for SSA Marine, Chris Volk. That email hadn’t garnered any response before our publication deadline.
Slip Knott, LLC, which owns the Knott-Cowen property and submitted the pre-application with the county, has also declined further comment.
While both the developer and landowner have declined to comment further, opposition to the proposal appears to be growing, with environmental groups and residents indicating they intend to contest the project if it advances to a permitting process. Any formal application would be likely to face legal challenges, potentially at multiple levels, which could lead to lengthy and costly court battles. 
SSA Marine, however, is backed by a global parent company with significant financial resources, which could readily position it to withstand complex legal challenges should the project move forward.
SSA Marine operates as the primary subsidiary of Carrix, Inc., one of the largest privately held marine terminal operators in the world—and the largest in North America. In November 2021, Blackstone Infrastructure Partners announced it had acquired full ownership of Carrix Inc., in a transaction reported to be valued at $2.5 billion or more.
Blackstone Infrastructure Partners is the infrastructure investment arm of Blackstone Inc. According to its website, Blackstone Inc. is the world’s largest alternative asset manager, with more than $1 trillion in assets under management.
Blackstone Inc. is led by chair and CEO Stephen A. Schwarzman, a Palm Beach resident who helped establish the firm in 1985 and is named among the world’s 50 wealthiest individuals on Forbes’ 2025 World’s Billionaires List. Schwarzman has been an active political donor at the national level and previously served as chairman of President Donald Trump’s Strategic and Policy Forum, which assembled a select group of successful business leaders to advise the president during his first term.
In 2020, Reuters reported that two months ahead of the 2020 presidential election, Blackstone’s Schwarzman had emerged as a top political donor, significantly surpassing his previous political contributions in 2016 and 2018. 
According to campaign finance data compiled by OpenSecrets, a nonpartisan research organization, Schwarzman donated more than $35 million to conservative causes in 2024.
More recently, in November, the Associated Press reported that Schwarzman was on the White House list of 37 donors helping fund the White House ballroom project.
Despite the scale of SSA Marine’s corporate backing and the national profile of its ownership, the proposed cruise terminal on the Knott-Cowen tract would, if a formal application is submitted, still be subject to the county’s comprehensive plan, land development code, and zoning authority.
Port Authority Bill Pulled Amid Questions of Timing and Control
As public opposition to SSA Marine’s proposed cruise port grew, attention also turned to separate port-related legislation introduced during Florida’s 2026 legislative session. While lawmakers said the bill was unrelated to the private cruise terminal proposal, its timing, the lack of public engagement, and the lack of majority support among Port Authority members raised questions.  
House Bill 4073, sponsored by Rep. Bill Conerly and supported by members of the Manatee County legislative delegation, proposed restructuring the Manatee Port Authority by converting it from a dependent special district under county control into an independent special district, with four members appointed by the governor and one Manatee County Commissioner selected by the County Commission.
The port authority serves as the governing and oversight body of SeaPort Manatee.
While supporters of the measure argued that the change would strengthen the Port Authority’s expertise and governance, critics argued that it would limit the role of county commissioners, diminishing local policy influence on decisions regarding port operations and future development.
Beyond restructuring the Port Authority’s governance model, the proposed legislation also revised how the agency’s powers were defined, adding substantial new language to the decades-old charter.
Skepticism surrounding the bill was compounded by how abruptly it seemed to surface, advancing before broad public discussion was undertaken, despite the prior tie vote by authority members on whether to support the proposal. Against the broader backdrop of local concern over state preemption and encroachment on home rule, the timing of the legislation— followed months later by SSA Marine’s cruise port announcement—prompted heightened scrutiny of both issues.
On Friday, Rep. Robinson and Sen. Boyd acknowledged the timing of the measure was less than ideal in light of SSA Marine’s announcement.
“While HB 4073 has no direct relationship to a cruise terminal, there are concerns about proposed changes to control and jurisdiction at this critical time. Therefore, we believe it is prudent to pause and withdraw the local bill from further consideration this legislative session and allow for continued dialogue with all stakeholders,” the lawmakers wrote in a joint statement.
When reached by phone late Friday afternoon, Robinson confirmed to TBT with confidence that the measure was “dead” and would not advance in this session—neither as a stand-alone measure nor as a last-minute add-in to any other legislation.

In an email, Rep. Conerly, who sponsored the measure, built upon his comments regarding the proposed cruise port in the region. “SeaPort Manatee is a proven economic driver, supporting stable jobs, efficient cargo movement, and long-term industrial growth,” he wrote. “Its success depends on maintaining a clear focus on freight operations that businesses and workers rely on every day.” 
Though lawmakers strongly signaled their continued support for restricting the port authority, the decision to withdraw HB 4073 was met with relief by opponents of both the Port Authority’s restructuring and the proposed cruise terminal. Despite that relief, concerns surrounding SSA Marine’s development proposal remained.

Citizens’ sentiments have been visible in comment sections of local reporting and across social media community groups, suggesting that opponents of a cruise port development in the shared waters of the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve—where mangrove forests lace pristine coastlines—remain committed to pushing back until the proposal is either formally withdrawn or rejected by local review.
With HB 4073 withdrawn for consideration during this legislative session, county officials and members of the public await to learn how SSA Marine or landowner Slip Knott, LLC., will proceed with their shared intention to see a cruise port constructed in Manatee County, near the Sunshine Skyway Causeway. One thing seems clear: the proposal has drawn the attention of environmental advocates, neighborhood groups, the county, and region—ensuring that whatever the next step, the public will be following this proposal closely.