Is the Manatee County cruise port terminal plan dead? What local officials say

County officials say a proposal to build a massive cruise ship port in coastal Manatee County has not moved forward since it sparked fierce community backlash and a new law aimed at blocking it earlier this year.

A development application submitted for the project in January is no longer active, officials say, and the county has not received any new proposals since then.

“At this time, the County has not had any further communication with Slip Knott LLC regarding the proposed cruise port project,” a county spokesperson told the Bradenton Herald via email.

“As there has been no recent activity from the applicant or any other parties related to the property, nothing is currently under review by the County,” the statement continued.

No cruise port plans under review, county says

In January, marine terminal and cargo company SSA Marine announced its $18 million purchase of Rattlesnake Key — an undeveloped island of over 700 acres on the edge of Tampa Bay — with plans to permanently conserve the island.

But the conservation came with a catch. At the same time, the company unveiled plans to build a new cruise port terminal at a property just north of Rattlesnake Key and adjacent to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.

SSA Marine said the Manatee County terminal would accommodate massive cruise ships that are too large to pass under the bridge and reach Port Tampa. But environmental experts warned that the project could have dire consequences for a pristine corner of Tampa Bay.

Slip Knott LLC, a Tampa Bay area company that sold Rattlesnake Key to SSA Marine and also owns the Knott-Cowen Tract where the cruise port was proposed, submitted a preliminary application for the project to Manatee County Government on the same day as SSA’s announcement.

Why did Manatee County meet with cruise port backers?

The application resulted in a meeting between representatives of the company and county staff on Jan. 30, which a county administrator described as “very informal.”

According to county records, the meeting focused on local regulations that the project would have to comply with if it moved forward. The county closed the preliminary application after the meeting, development records show.

Meanwhile, public opposition to the cruise port continued to mount, and in February, the Florida Senate passed a bill aimed at blocking it, followed by the House in March.

Even then, SSA Marine expressed optimism for the project.

“SSA Marine looks forward to continuing to share our vision for meaningful environmental conservation, local job creation, and long-term economic growth in Manatee County,” spokesperson Sally Dee said in a March 11 email to the Bradenton Herald. “We remain committed to working constructively and maintaining an open dialogue with state and local leaders, community stakeholders, and regional partners, to ensure this project meets the economic and ecological needs of the region.”

But after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill into law on March 19 in Bradenton, the company stopped speaking publicly about its plans.

Are cruise port backers pursuing new project?

While lawmakers and the governor said the new law would strengthen protections for Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve, critics pointed out that it created potential loopholes for other kinds of development there, such as a commercial marina.

But so far, the companies have not sought permission to build anything else, according to county officials.

“Since the January 30 meeting, the applicant has not pursued this project further, nor has any additional development proposal for the property been submitted to the County,” the county’s email said.

Cruise port backers still quiet

SSA Marine did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Slip Knott LLC declined to comment.

A promotional website for the cruise port remains online, but it has not been updated since February.

“Should any future proposals or requests be submitted, they would proceed through the County’s standard review and public process,” the county’s statement said.