North Port goal: 1,700 jobs

NORTH PORT — North Port Economic Development Corp. officials will present an update next week on five initiatives they say could generate more than $270 million in construction projects and 1,700 jobs.

The North Port EDC is a private, nonprofit organization with a mission to recruit businesses and jobs to the south Sarasota County city. The organization has been working on these projects for the past year, according to a release. It will discuss the projects at a press conference scheduled for Friday, Jan. 25. The initiatives include:

• Main Street: Develop a vision for a main street district in North Port, possibly along the U.S. 41 corridor. It could include the expansion of the University of South Florida - North Port campus;
• Eco-tourism: Develop an ecotourism strategy that provides bed tax revenue for the city;
• Warm Mineral Springs: Develop an “economic engine” vision for the springs past the 81 acres purchased by Sarasota County and the city of North Port; the city, in separate meetings, recently discussed selling its stake in the springs.
• West side: Develop a lifelong education center built around culture, tourism, and the arts.
• Toledo Blade Boulevard: Develop a vision for the Toledo Blade corridor that includes health and wellness, research and technology and education and career markets.