Bradenton awarded $870,000 grant toward Twin Dolphin Marina improvements

BRADENTON -- An $870,000 Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission boating infrastructure grant will be used toward a $5 million planned expansion and improvements at Twin Dolphin Marina.

The city-owned marina is operated by the Don Miller Development Co. of Bradenton, which also owns the Pier 22 restaurant. The city has been working with its tenant since last summer to help win funding for the project and qualified to apply for the grant as a municipality. No city tax funds will be used.

Don Miller Development will pay for the project but asked the city to help get the grants. In February, Hugh Miller, president of Miller Development, also asked to have its marina lease reduced in order to help secure financing.

The city reduced its percentage of proceeds from marina slip rentals from 8 percent to 2.5 percent. That did not affect the 5 percent of proceeds the city receives from Pier 22, which recently completed a $400,000 renovation.

The city applied for the grant in August after previously failing to win a $399,000 grant in April.

There had been no word of the grant awards until recently when Miller was attending the Palm Beach Boat Show on the east coast.

The scope of work includes reconfiguring the eastern part of the marina with 129 new slips and updating floating docks with full amenities to accommodate larger vessels.

The marina on the Manatee River now has seven slips available for large vessels, but 86 new slips will be built for vessels up to 50 feet and 15 slips for boats up to 105 feet.

Mayor Wayne Poston said Wednesday, "It's a great economic development grant and will bring in bigger boats than we've ever seen in the past. It's going to mean a lot to us. He's investing in us and we are trying to help him along. It's very good news."

No construction timetable is set on the project, but City Administrator Carl Callahan said the grant should expedite the process and give Miller Development the opportunity to move forward much more quickly.

Mark Young, Herald urban affairs reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7041 or follow him on Twitter @urbanmark2014.

This story was originally published March 24, 2016 at 11:16 PM with the headline "Bradenton awarded $870,000 grant toward Twin Dolphin Marina improvements ."