JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Port Authority board held a meeting Thursday to discuss the port's dismissal of Gulftainer Co.'s proposal to lease 100 acres at Blount Island for a cargo terminal that would have been one of the largest at the port.
CEO Paul Anderson said the port is creating a strategic master plan for the port that will affect generations to come, and that Gulftainer's $250 million proposal does not fit into JaxPort's master plan.
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"We would not accept the first offer. We're in high demand," Anderson said. "We're going to bring on the highest return in investment for the citizens and the community here at JaxPort."
The Blount Island Marine Terminal is prime property for JaxPort, and it wants to make sure that terminal invests in the most suitable customers. With plenty of already successful customers and not a lot of acres left on the 754-acre island, board members want to make sure that investments they make are always best for the JaxPort community, as well as the city of Jacksonville.
"We made a decision to have a strategic master plan," Anderson said. "We have a very, very valuable asset, and we are going to bring to the board options for the highest return on investment."
JaxPort must come up with a strategic plan, and it must be approved by the board to ensure future business.