Petition to Stop the Skyway Cruise Port

UPDATE ON RECENTLY PASSED LEGISLATION (SB 302)

Our coalition understands this fight is far from over.  We are grateful for the leadership shown by Senator Boyd in standing up for the protection of the Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve (TCAP) against development proposals that are clearly not in the public interest. Our coalition worked diligently with legislative offices to strengthen protections for TCAP consistent with Senator Boyd’s original intent.  We will continue to work toward stronger protections for TCAP.  We anticipate a long battle ahead, as this legislation does not prevent SSA Marine or Slip Knott LLC from filing county-level rezoning applications, Environmental Resource Permit applications with the Southwest Florida Water Management District, or federal U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permits. We remain committed to defending the preserve at every step.

ISSUE

A new cruise ship terminal, tentatively called the Knott-Cowen Cruise Port, has been proposed on the seaward side of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, on the Knott-Cowen tract, near Terra Ceia Bay and Rattlesnake Key. The project, put forward by SSA Marine in partnership with the Tampa-based Slip Knott LLC, has sparked alarm among local communities and organizations seeking to protect Florida’s vital waterways.

SSA Marine claims the terminal would allow for larger cruise ships to visit Tampa Bay. In a recent Bradenton Herald opinion column, Stefano Borzone, president of SSA Marine’s Cruise Division, wrote: “Together, we can define the next generation of cruising in West Central Florida: one that supports local jobs, strengthens the region, preserves the region’s unique ecology, and reflects the values of West Central Florida.” 

But Suncoast Waterkeeper, Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, and our partners see a very different reality.

The proposed port would threaten the health of our shared watersheds, including Tampa Bay, Terra Ceia Bay, Sarasota Bay, and beyond. SSA Marine’s claims about economic benefits and ecological preservation obscure the real, serious harm this terminal would inflict on our waterways, our health, our businesses, and our way of life. 


WHAT’S NEXT? 

Representatives from SSA Marine and Slip Knott LLC have already begun speaking with community leaders and local and state agencies about the project.  According to public records, representatives of the Knott-Cowen Cruise Port have met with Commissioner Rahn, Manatee County staff, and staff from the Southwest Florida Water Management District to get insights on the requirements and support necessary for constructing a massive cruise ship port designed to accommodate the world’s largest cruise vessels within a shallow state-protected area.  Suncoast Waterkeeper and Tampa Bay Waterkeeper will continue to monitor state and local agencies and provide updates when they are available. Stay tuned for calls to action. 


USE YOUR VOICE NOW

Neighbors and community members are speaking up to Save Our Bays from the construction of the Knott-Cowen Cruise Port. Sign your name to the petition below and we will bring your voice with us wherever it needs to go to fight against these developments, whether that is to the Army Corps of Engineers, FDEP, the Manatee County Commissioners, and SSA Marine's community meetings, and tell them: NOT HERE, NOT EVER. 

Adding your name to the petition will also keep you informed with email updates.  

Together, we can protect the waters that make West Central Florida special.


Read more HERE.

 

We, the undersigned community members, reject the proposed plans to develop the Knott-Cowen tract by SSA Marine and its partners.

This massive industrial cruise terminal threatens the health of Tampa Bay, Terra Ceia Bay, Sarasota Bay, and connected waterways that sustain our environment, economy, and way of life.

We oppose this project because it:

  • Puts our waters at risk.
    Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve is one of Florida’s most environmentally sensitive areas, home to seagrass beds, wetlands, and critical wildlife habitat. Construction, cruise ship traffic, and port operations would cause irreversible harm across the watershed.
  • Threatens existing local jobs and businesses.
    While SSA Marine claims economic benefits and added jobs to the local economy, this project would jeopardize restaurants, fishing and boating industries, waterfront businesses, tourism, and homeowners who depend on clean, healthy bays.
  • Undermines our regional economy.
    Manatee County generates billions annually from tourism, fishing, and recreation. An industrial cruise port in a prime recreational area would degrade surrounding lands and erode the natural assets that drive our economy. Not to mention it would strain aging infrastructure, creating further financial pressures on local municipalities and communities.
  • Contradicts our community values.
    Clean water and beautiful, natural landscapes define West Central Florida. A large-scale cruise terminal is incompatible with the character, culture, and future our community is working to protect.

Preserving a single parcel of land, such as Rattlesnake Key, does not offset the widespread environmental and economic damage this project would cause.

Our message is clear: This cruise terminal does not belong in our bays.

Not here. Not ever. Please join us in saving our bays.

17,185 signatures

Will you sign?