Economic Development News

Gov. Rick Scott will be at Indian River State College's Stuart campus Thursday to make an announcement that the Business Development Board of Martin County says "carries significant local and statewide impact."

"It has statewide impact because of the number of jobs that are tied to the project, but the company will be in Martin County," said Crystal Stiles, the Business Development Board's co-director.

"I think this will be a really great opportunity to see what happens from the time a company makes a commitment to a community and then watch it grow over the next how many years as they add employees," Stiles added.

Stiles would not say if the announcement involves Project Felix, the effort to induce a central Martin County yacht manufacturer to build a turbine component factory and create 600 jobs locally.

Last week, Stiles said Project Felix was "nearing the finish line" as the state's formal offer was due to be made.

Project Felix has Martin County putting up $435,000 in incentives. The local incentives would be considered a match to $1.8 million in state sales tax refunds over five years, along with a closing grant, that would come from Gov. Scott's office.

The name of the yacht manufacturer has been kept confidential, as the county is competing against North Carolina for the new $15 million facility that would have a total payroll of $28.4 million and pay an average wage of $43,350 per year, plus benefits. Located in Martin County, the factory would also pump out more than $210,000 per year in property taxes under current rates.

Stiles did say Scott has played an active role with local business leaders on this project.

"He's been very vocal about 700,000 jobs in seven years, that's a lot of zeros on the end of that promise," Stiles said.

On April 7, Scott held a closed-door meeting in Port St. Lucie to discuss business recruitment efforts with officials from Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties. After the meeting, Scott said he would help where he could.

A spokesman for Scott wasn't immediately available for comment Tuesday.

A representative of the governor's office said travel details for Thursday wouldn't be available until Wednesday night.

According to the business board, Scott is scheduled to be at the IRSC's Chastain Campus, Clare and Gladys Wolf High Technology Center, Thursday, April 28, at 1:45 p.m.