Governor Ron DeSantis touched down in Panama City on Tuesday to hand over more than $13 million in state funding, a move aimed at supercharging the aerospace, aviation, and maritime sectors across the Florida Panhandle. The money, pulled from the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund, is divided among three major projects designed to overhaul local infrastructure and create hundreds of new positions for area workers.
The Panama City–Bay County Airport and Industrial District secured a $5 million slice of the pie. This funding is earmarked for the construction of a massive 160,000-square-foot aircraft engine repair and testing facility at Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport.
Officials estimate the project will bring 400 new technician jobs to Bay County, with 120,000 square feet dedicated specifically to engine repair operations.
“Today, I announced the latest round of Job Growth Grant Fund awards to support critical infrastructure and workforce housing in the Panhandle,” Governor DeSantis said during the announcement. “These projects will create hundreds of good jobs and attract investments to help Panama City, Port St. Joe, and Gulf County prosper.”
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Further west, the City of Port St. Joe was awarded $2,250,709. Rather than industrial shops, this grant focuses on the “workforce” side of the equation.
The funds will go toward a two-phase road project, including the resurfacing of existing pavement and the construction of a new 1,380-foot connector road. This infrastructure is the prerequisite for building 177 new workforce homes and includes hardening underground utilities to withstand hurricane-force winds. The project is expected to generate 190 jobs.
Gulf County rounded out the awards with a $6 million grant for its Board of County Commissioners. The money will fund the installation of “Mooring Dolphins” to support a self-docking floating dry dock at a local shipyard. While the site currently supports 125 jobs at Eastern Shipbuilding, the state expects this expansion to add another 337 positions to the payroll.
Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly noted that these investments are intended to “fuel economic opportunity” by making the region more attractive to private companies.
Since 2019, the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund has distributed more than $318 million across the state. According to state figures, the program has been responsible for creating 42,000 jobs and 32,000 workforce education spots over the last several years.
The fund operates as an economic development tool where FloridaCommerce reviews various proposals before the Governor makes the final selection. So far in the 2024-2025 fiscal year, 21 projects have been greenlit under the program.
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