MANATEE COUNTY, FL \u2014 A development team hopes to build a large-scale cruise ship port near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, according to reports. <\/p>\n
Tampa-based Slip Knott LLC has filed plans with Manatee County to develop a port for the Knott-Cowen Tract, a 328-acre piece of land bordering the north and south sides of Interstate 275 just east of the bridge, the Bradenton Herald reported<\/a>. <\/p>\n The company is partnering with cruise ship terminal operator SSA Marine, based in Seattle, on the multiberth cruise port project, the Tampa Bay Times said<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cA new cruise port will complement existing cruise activities in the region by being able to accommodate the newer, larger, low-emissions cruise vessels that would otherwise be unable to visit due to the height restrictions of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge,\u201d according to a website promoting the cruise port development<\/a>. \u201cAs cruise ships continue to modernize, the region will be well positioned to align with and support the cruise industry\u2019s future growth.\u201d<\/p>\n Developers estimate that once the project is complete, it will bring more than 13,000 direct, indirect, and induced jobs to the area, and generate $40 million each year in tax revenue for the county and school district. <\/p>\n If approved by the county, construction could take three to five years. <\/p>\n The property is adjacent to the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve, one of the Tampa Bay Estuary\u2019s most environmentally sensitive and ecologically diverse areas, reports said. <\/p>\n SSA Marine recently bought the nearby 710-acre Rattlesnake Key as part of its \u201ccommitment to environmental stewardship,\u201d the project\u2019s website said. <\/p>\n \u201cWe recognize Rattlesnake Key is a treasured local community asset that has long been the subject of concern regarding potential future commercial development, and our intent in purchasing the property is to remove any possibility of private commercialization and ensure its conservation,\u201d according to the website. <\/p>\n Some residents are concerned about the environmental impact of the proposed project. <\/p>\n \u201cBringing in a large-scale industrial facility … would certainly raise concerns for our water quality, critical habitat for fish and wildlife, and the recreational value for residents and tourists in the Tampa Bay community that depend on a healthy estuary,\u201d Peter Clark, president and founder of the restoration nonprofit Tampa Bay Watch, told the Tampa Bay Times.<\/p>\n