Port Manatee receives $175k grant

MANATEE — Port Manatee will receive a $175,000 grant from the Florida Department of Transportation for its $357,000 planned commerce center project, Gov. Rick Scott's office announced Monday.

The Port Manatee Commerce Center project plans to construct a parallel 450 linear feet of rail spur and a new 14,000-square-foot loading ramp to expand bulk carrier intermodal services at its intermodal logistics center, according to a news release.

The logistics centers help enhance infrastructure at the state's ports, airports, railroads and highway connectors, which helps expand trade and commerce, the release says.

The investment in the Port Manatee Commerce Center is among the first of four grants as part of the Intermodal Logistics Center Infrastructure Support Program. The program provides an annual allocation of $5 million with a 50% matching fund requirement from applicants.

“It is an honor to be recognized as a recipient for the Intermodal Logistics Center Infrastructure Support Program matching funds grant,” Kevin Button, Port Manatee Commerce Center operations manager, says in the release. “We are pleased Governor Scott and FDOT included small businesses in this initiative and recognize it is small businesses which drive local job creation."

FDOT selected four projects to receive funding from eight applicants. The three other projects selected included the Keystone ILC Terminal in Jacksonville, the South Florida Logistics Center in Miami, and the Port of Panama City Intermodal Distribution Center in Panama City.