Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Tampa Bay cruise port plan for Manatee County wetlands sparks uproar
Tampa Bay cruise port proposed for environmentally sensitive Manatee County wetlands sparks uproar.
By Christian Casale
The proposal to redevelop over 342 acres of environmentally sensitive wetlands off Manatee County’s Gulf Coast into a cruise ship port has received widespread condemnation from politicians, civic groups and environmental activists.
The proposed “Knott-Cowen Cruise Port” would be located just south of where I-275 crests toward the Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The property is right beside the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve and Rattlesnake Key, two of the most environmentally sensitive areas in Florida.
The project is a collaboration between Slip Knott LLC, the Tampa-based landowner, and SSA Marine, a major “cruise terminal operator."
The Manatee County Commission would ultimately have to approve a rezoning petition.
Herald-Tribune Archive/Mike Lang/2021
Meanwhile, public opposition has gained traction. An online petition to “Stop The Proposed Cruise Ship Port” has over 17,171 signatures as of Tuesday, Feb. 3.
For its part, SSA Marine claims the project will create more jobs and boost tourism in the area. The company also bought 710 acres of nearby Rattlesnake Key for conservation.
“We look forward to working closely with local officials, residents and environmental leaders in the months ahead to discuss how best to preserve the natural character of this special property,” the company said on its website.
Environmental PR Group
Two major local environmental groups, the Suncoast Waterkeeper and Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, issued a statement to “Stop the Skyway Cruise Port.” They said the port would hurt the area’s tourism, fishing and boating industries, as well as disrupt stormwater infrastructure amid worsening storms from the Gulf.
“The proposed port would threaten the health of our shared watersheds, including Tampa Bay, Terra Ceia Bay, Sarasota Bay, and beyond,” the statement said. “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."
Google Maps
In a column for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, State Sen. Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton), the chamber’s president-designate, blasted the proposal as a “tourist trap.”
Boyd has repeatedly pushed for the state to purchase Rattlesnake Key and turn it into a state park. He helped to round up $23 million in state funds to buy the island; however, it was sold to Slip Knott LLC for $75 million.
“The vision is a far cry from my hope for this island and one that cannot be undone if fully realized,” Boyd wrote.
Jon Harris, a Democratic candidate to replace outgoing Manatee County Congressman Vern Buchanan, said the proposal would “destroy sensitive habitats, threaten clean water and permanently alter the regional landscape, and once that damage is done, there is no undoing it.”
Manatee County
Christian Casale covers local government for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Email him at ccasale@usatodayco.com or christiancasale@protonmail.com
