What do you want to see at Cortez boat ramp? Manatee officials want your ideas
Manatee County officials are starting the Cortez boat ramp project with a blank slate.
Just north of the Cortez Bridge, the former site of the landmark Seafood Shack Marina, Bar & Grill and Annie’s Bait and Tackle now sits empty after the structures were demolished following damage in last year’s hurricane season.
This summer, residents have the opportunity to provide input on what should replace them. The county will gather ideas through an online survey and multiple public meetings scheduled in July and August.
Manatee County Commissioner Tal Siddique, whose district includes Cortez, said a boat ramp and parking are guarantees — but the county wants to do even more with the land.
“I believe we can do a lot more, and we owe it to ourselves to do more than just pour some concrete, create a boat launch and call it a day,” Siddique said. “I think we can truly enhance the Cortez community with the right concept.”
Siddique is still focused on the core reasons the county purchased this land, and said the county has two other non-negotiables for the site: a boat ramp and a stop for the county’s Gulf Islands Ferry system.
New ideas for Cortez boat ramp
But officials still want input from all stakeholders — from neighboring residents to active boaters in the community — about what the project should include.
“I think it comes back to what makes the most sense for that community in Cortez,” Siddique said. “I don’t just mean the houses to the north, I mean all of Cortez and, ultimately, balancing the needs of that community with the long-term needs of our county.”
Siddique said the possibilities include a combination of recreation, restaurant space and potentially retail, which could have a local economic impact.
“The feedback I’ve gotten from residents already is they want to see that area revitalized,” Siddique said.
That said, the county doesn’t want to operate a restaurant or retail space, Siddique said. Instead, a local partnership with other businesses could allow the county to own the space while being more hands-off with day-to-day operations.
How to share your ideas for Cortez boat ramp
Residents can submit comments through the online survey that asks respondents’ opinions on things like what type of activities should be at the site, whether there should be lighting, environmental protection elements, amenities and hours of operation.
There are also several in-person input sessions throughout the summer for residents to attend. Each of the sessions lasts from 5-7 p.m. on the following days:
Thursday, July 24, at The Bridge Church (4000 75th St. W., Bradenton)
Wednesday, Aug. 6, at the Manatee Central Library (1301 First Ave. W., Bradenton)
Monday, Aug. 11, at the Island Library (5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach)
Wednesday, Aug. 13, at the Rocky Bluff Library (6750 U.S. 301, Ellenton)
Monday, Aug. 18, at the Lakewood Ranch Library (16410 Rangeland Parkway, Bradenton)
What’s next for the project
After the public input period, county staff will compile the suggestions and bring data to the Board of County Commissioners. According to Siddique, this will happen sometime next year.
Then, the county can create an open call for potential private partners on the project.
By this time next year, Siddique hopes the county will have a partnership decision and a more solidified vision for what the Cortez boat ramp will look like. This would also include specific numbers for parking and boat launches.
Boat ramp project faces Cortez Bridge delay
But the project’s completion is likely several years away.
Siddique said plans for the boat ramp project will have to account for the Florida Department of Transportation’s planned replacement of the Cortez Bridge, which will change traffic patterns in the area.
The best-case scenario is for construction on the boat ramp site to begin in two years, according to Siddique. Worst-case scenario, he said, it could be three to four years until the county can break ground.
“It’s important that we start early now with public feedback. Starting with a blank slate, as well, because I think we’re not quite clear yet as to what the impacts will be to that area by FDOT,” Siddique said.
The county has $2.8 million funded in the upcoming fiscal year for the “Cortez Marina Bay Boat Ramp” under the Natural Resources Department’s budget. Additionally, county officials previously said they set aside $20.8 million in the capital improvement plan that was originally allocated for the scrapped Peninsula Bay boat ramp project.
Manatee County purchased waterfront property in 2024
In August 2024, Manatee County commissioners agreed to purchase the 8.9-acre Seafood Shack property for $13 million, which, at the time, included the structures that housed local businesses like the Seafood Shack and Annie’s Bait and Tackle.
The property was previously owned by Vandyk Properties, which bought the property in 2014 for $4 million.
Shortly after Manatee County agreed to purchase the property, multiple businesses on the property faced eviction notices from Vandyk Properties. At the time, county spokesperson Bill Logan said the county intended to execute new contracts with legacy owners after the county took ownership.
Then, in late 2024, Hurricanes Helene and Milton significantly impacted the waterfront property. Siddique said the county wanted Annie’s Bait and Tackle to stay, but the business sustained severe damage that left it unsalvageable.
In April, the county demolished the existing structures on the property, leaving the space for something new.
“With the storm and the destruction of Annie’s, we were just not able to keep that parcel there,” Siddique said. “There was a long, protracted debate in the community about it. But we are where we are now.”
This story was originally published July 17, 2025 at 5:50 AM.
