Pensacola Times

On Thursday, Dec. 15, Escambia County was approved for $14.2 million in funding toward OLF-8 in Beulah by Triumph Gulf Coast after a unanimous 7-0 vote by the Triumph board of directors. The funding will go toward the development of roadways, sewage and drainage on the east side of OLF-8.

As part of Phase I of the OLF-8 Commerce Park development, a 1.2 miles north-south roadway will be developed to connect Nine Mile Road and Frank Reeder Road. Additionally, the funding will go toward water/sewage infrastructure and stormwater site improvements.

“The Triumph Gulf Coast award of $14.2 million in oil spill penalty money for OLF-8 is a huge victory for Escambia County and our citizens," said Escambia County District 1 Commissioner Jeff Bergosh. "This large award will allow us the ability to construct critical infrastructure on this county-owned property which will facilitate the cultivation of hundreds of high-paying private sector jobs for the citizens we serve. The staff did a great job in putting this winning proposal together, and I appreciate their diligent efforts and attribute all the credit to them for this win. Truly a great day in Escambia County!”

As a result of the funding, 338 jobs are expected to be created with the upcoming projects. With the number of jobs that will be created for the Phase I project and the cost-per-direct job to Triumph Gulf Coast, the Triumph Gulf Coast staff sheet scored the OLF-8 program as an "A."

"Escambia County is extremely appreciative to the Triumph Gulf Coast board of directors for their favorable consideration toward OLF-8," said County Administrator Wes Moreno. "I'd also like to thank our staff for the time and effort they put in to help make this grant possible. We also really appreciate the support of Scott Luth and his team at FloridaWest. We're excited about the future of OLF-8 and look forward to getting started on Phase I."

In 2016, Escambia County received OLF-8 as part of a land-swap agreement with the U.S. Navy. The land will be developed into a mixed-use community that will include job-creation industrial sites, dedicated new business attractions and opportunities for existing business expansions. According to Triumph Gulf Coast, the OLF-8 site location is extremely advantageous for advanced manufacturing and supply chain distribution companies looking for close proximity to I-10.

Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., is a nonprofit corporation organized to oversee the expenditure of 75 percent of all funds recovered by the Florida attorney general for economic damages to the state that resulted from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., is required to administer the distribution of the funds to be used for the recovery, diversification and enhancement of the eight Northwest Florida counties disproportionately affected by the oil spill. Those counties include Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf, Franklin and Wakulla.

Click here to review the Triumph Gulf Coast score sheet for the requested OLF-8 funding.

Click here to view the Triumph Gulf Coast board meeting discussion on OLF-8.

Original source can be found here.