The Port of Palm Beach District announced that it received four proposals from separate teams of developers in response to its Request For Proposals (RFP) issued on July 10, 2009 to pre-qualified entities interested in participating in a Public/Private Partnership for the development of an Intermodal Logistics Center and Distribution Complex.
  • Meeting the October 5, 2:00 PM deadline were:
  • Florida Crystals Corporation
  • Hillard Brothers of Florida, LTD/US Sugar Corporation
  • Treasure Coast Intermodal Campus, LLC (Kennedy Groves, Inc., Mabel Groves, LLLP, Southern Fruit Groves, LLLP, Bay Hill Holdings, LLC)
  • Weekly Brothers Industrial Park

The project will need to be completed in advance of the scheduled year 2014 opening of the expanded Panama Canal. The larger Canal will allow high volume container vessels direct access to the eastern United States, the result of which will mean a more cost effective means of bringing goods destined to the 'big box' stores which serve the South Florida market. Consumer goods off-loaded at Port of Miami, Port Everglades, or Port of Palm Beach will then be sent by rail or truck to an inland Intermodal Logistics Center location.

The initiative, which will provide approximately 20,000 direct jobs to the region as well as millions of dollars in new State and local tax revenue, is being modeled after successful Distribution Centers in Georgia, Virginia, Texas and elsewhere. Currently distribution centers are also being developed through a similar process in North Carolina and South Carolina. The Intermodal Logistics Center will assist with the reduction of traffic in the congested coastal corridor.

Respondent presentations will be made on October 15, 2009. The final selection of the successful Repondent is scheduled to be made by the Board of Commissioners of the Port of Palm Beach District at their monthly meeting on October 21, 2009.