MILTON — Having Fabbro Marine, the developer of the popular watercraft Cape Horn, remain in Santa Rosa County provided a sense of pride for both county officials and the companies involved.
GALLERY: Photos from the Fabbro Marine groundbreaking ceremony>
According to Chris Fabbro, president of Fabbro Marine, moving the operation out of county was considered. However, a Gulf Power program provided a major incentive for the boat manufacturer to remain in the county.
“We discovered this place by accident,” Fabbro said during this week’s groundbreaking ceremony. “We were in the process of trying to find another place to go, we were even looking out of state.”
Fabbro said he and company officials came across the property on Jeff Ates Road in East Milton, which featured a sign promoting Gulf Power’s Florida First Sites program.
“Once you learn about this program…it’s just a beautiful thing,” Fabbro said.
Fabbro Marine is the first company to move to a Gulf Power Florida First Site, a property which has undergone screening certification process making the property ready for development for any interested industrial company.
Out of the total nine Florida First Sites across Northwest Florida, Milton has three locations.
Shannon Ogletree, the Santa Rosa County Economic Development Director, hopes Fabbro Marine’s decision will open the doors to future development for Santa Rosa Industrial Park East.
“Getting the first (company) to the first site is always difficult, but this I know will spur development for other companies looking to move to Santa Rosa County,” he said.
Through the program, the county with Gulf Power’s assistance has eliminated potential barriers which keep companies from considering Santa Rosa County.
“Companies don’t want to come to a site where they could possibly start digging and there is wetlands or there is a gopher tortoise (a protected Florida species) out there, with Gulf Power we have taken that risk out,” he said.
Stan Connally, the president and chief executive officer of Gulf Power, believes the move by Fabbro Marine – Cope Horn Boats presents a major opportunity for the Santa Rosa Industrial Park East.
“This is the kickoff…not just for Cape Horn but for the entire industrial park and for that matter it continues the momentum that Santa Rosa County has right now in the economic development world,” he said.
Like Ogletree, Connally hopes the move by Fabbro Marine will encourage other industries to consider other Florida First Sites.
“We have a number of companies that are actively looking at those sites today right here in Santa Rosa County, but also in other counties in Northwest Florida,” he said. “They are very much attracted to our region in part by they have the ability to grow quickly on these certified sites.”
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: County, business officials celebrate Fabbro Marine groundbreaking (PHOTOS, VIDEO)