Jim Boyd, Will Robinson nix Manatee County Port Authority changes in face of cruise port concerns

Manatee County legislators are withdrawing a bill that would have restructured the governance of Seaport Manatee, citing heightened public concern over a cruise terminal proposed by developers near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.

Republican Bradenton Sen. Jim Boyd and Rep. Will Robinson announced Friday that the Manatee County legislative delegation is pulling HB 4073 — sponsored by Lakewood Ranch Rep. Bill Conerly — from further consideration this Legislative Session. 

The proposal would have converted the Manatee County Port Authority from a dependent special district governed by the Manatee County Commission into an independent special district overseen by a five-member board, with four members appointed by the Governor and one appointed by County Commissioners.

Boyd and Robinson said the bill was intended to create a more business-focused governance structure capable of advancing a long-term vision for Seaport Manatee. However, they acknowledged that the timing of the proposal coincides with growing public opposition to a privately proposed cruise terminal on Rattlesnake Key, raising concerns about shifting control of the port authority at a sensitive moment.

“The proposed cruise terminal on Rattlesnake Key has understandably created public angst,” the lawmakers said in a joint statement. “While HB 4073 has no direct relationship to a cruise terminal, there are concerns about proposed changes to control and jurisdiction at this critical time. Therefore, we believe it is prudent to pause and withdraw the local bill from further consideration this legislative session.”

The cruise port proposal, advanced by developers SSA Marine and Tampa-based Slip Knott LLC, envisions a multiberth terminal capable of accommodating large cruise ships that cannot pass beneath the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The project would be located on the Knott-Cowen tract at the mouth of Tampa Bay and would be privately financed, according to project materials.

Boyd and Robinson told Florida Politics this week that they firmly oppose the cruise port concept, describing the area as among the most environmentally sensitive and undeveloped stretches of coastline in the region.

The lawmakers have spent years attempting to protect Rattlesnake Key and surrounding wetlands through public acquisition, but those efforts did not come to fruition. The delegation secured $23 million in state funding in 2022 to purchase the property for conservation, but the deal collapsed after the Department of Environmental Protection declined to approve the purchase based on its independent appraisal.

A subsequent effort in 2024 secured approximately $8 million in additional funding, with Manatee County prepared to contribute more, but negotiations again fell apart after the property owner sought a higher price. The land has since been sold to a private entity now pursuing the cruise terminal proposal.

The withdrawal of HB 4073 leaves the governance structure of Seaport Manatee unchanged, with the port continuing to operate under the authority of the Manatee County Commission.

“Though circumstances have changed, our priorities remain the same,” the lawmakers said. “We seek to protect and conserve the beauty of our region, advance the priorities of our constituents, and make thoughtful, well-timed decisions about the future of Seaport Manatee.”

Conerly was not quoted in the news release, and did not immediately return a request for comment for this report.