Gov. Rick Scott, U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw and other political leaders convened on the First Coast Tuesday as McCallum Sweeney Consulting certified the Crawford Diamond Industrial Park in Nassau County as a mega-site, making it the second of its kind in the state.
Besides having 1,800 acres, the site has rail access -- an attraction for businesses looking to tap into nearby Jacksonvilles increasingly important role in logistics. A ceremony and groundbreaking were held at the industrial park in Callahan on Tuesday.
This property is the first of its kind in the area and is a game-changer for Northeast Florida and our state, Scott said before pointing to his own record as governor. In just over two years, we have already created over 330,000 private-sector jobs and our unemployment rate has dipped to 7.2 percent well below the national average.
This is a very rare and valuable site and an ideal location for any large-scale manufacturer or distributor, Scott added. This site also has direct rail access to JAXPort and sits near five deepwater ports, four marine terminals, two interstate highways and an international airport. This is the perfect place for any company wanting to do business across the nation and worldwide. Projects like this will help us continue to create jobs and opportunities for Florida families.
Paul Boynton, the chairman, president and CEO of Rayonier, which helps run Crawford Diamond, also stressed how the sites location will help attract businesses.
With the intersection of two class one railroads, and close proximity to both I-10 and I-95 and four deep water ports, Crawford Diamond is one of the top industrial sites in the State of Florida, said Boynton. Rayonier is confident that the business-friendly environment championed by Governor Scott and the proactive development policies of Nassau County will attract companies to the property. Crawford Diamond has great potential to be an economic game changer for the County and Northeast Florida.
Crenshaw, who represents the area in Congress, also expressed optimism for Nassau Countys future.
The economic future for Nassau County is a bright one now that this 1,800 acre complex is ready for development and commerce, said Crenshaw. With easy access to two major railroads, two deep-water ports, four marine terminals, two inter-states, and the Jacksonville International Airport, the possibilities for increased domestic and international commerce, trade, and job creation are endless. Business and industry leaders in our state and across the nation and around the world will find a winner here at Crawford Diamond now and in generations to come.
Other political leaders taking part in the groundbreaking included two Republicans from Fernandina Beach who represent the area in the Legislature -- Sen. Aaron Bean and Rep. Janet Adkins. Rep. Lake Ray, R-Jacksonville, one of the leading experts in the Legislature on ports and logistics, also took part in the event.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews or at (904) 521-3722.
