Gov. Ron DeSantis Delivers 2 Checks To Winter Haven Totaling $9.6 Million

WINTER HAVEN, FL — An almost $10 million grant went to the city of Winter Haven Monday during a press conference held by Gov. Ron DeSantis at city hall.

DeSantis said $6.4 million is from the Job Growth Grant Fund and the Florida Department of Transportation will provide $3 million totaling $9.6 million. This money is supposed to support economic growth and infrastructure. According to Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund is an economic development program designed to promote public infrastructure and workforce training across the state. The governor chooses which cities are eligible for funding.

"We're going to be improving access to more than 1,200 acres of industrial area that will attract new businesses and generate new jobs for the community," DeSantis told reporters.

This will help bring about 5,000 jobs in the manufacturing, logistics and technical services industries during the next several years, according to the governor. He also said that a big portion of the money will go to the Intermodal Logistics Center.

Mayor Pro Tem Nathaniel Birdsong mentioned that less desirable infrastructure in the city squashed hopes of more than a thousand jobs being created at the ILC years ago.

“You know, you have already stated how important it is to us at the ILC,” Birdsong said. “When the ILC was built years ago, the vision was that it would create thousands of jobs. One of the things that prohibited that was the road, having better access. Now, we’re going to be able to fund that road, have high-speed internet going there, governor, you have made a dream come true for the city of Winter Haven.”

Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Kevin Thibault said this project will support major freight and logistics operations to address current and future consumer needs from Jacksonville to Miami.

"Today’s announcement builds upon the $60 million in investments we have already made in Polk County in 2021, because we know this area will help drive our state now and into the future," DeSantis said. "While there are worrying trends on the national level, we are going to keep doing our job in Florida and we will continue to capitalize on Florida’s strong economic momentum.”