City of Cape Coral Offers Companies Incentive for Development Projects

City takes aggressive step to reverse economic downturn

CAPE CORAL, Fla., Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- At a time when Southwest Florida
is capturing national headlines for the rate of residential foreclosures and
resulting economic downturn, the City of Cape Coral is making an aggressive
move to diversify the city's commercial industry, spur new economic
development and help the city rebound from the region's economic challenges.
Cape Coral has a bold message for potential developers: "We've got land if
you've got a plan."
The City of Cape Coral has issued two Requests for Proposals (RFP's)
seeking developers to consider two important projects: a hotel and ice rink
adjacent to the city's Sun Splash Family Waterpark and an academic village and
research park in the northeast section of the city. In both cases, the city
owns the land and will offer developers a low-price land lease to help
minimize development costs.
"The city is in a strong position to spur new development and now is the
perfect time for companies to make a move to Cape Coral," said Mike Jackson,
executive director of the Cape's Economic Development office. "We are prepared
to partner with companies to streamline the process and make development cost
effective. We have the land, available workforce and the commitment to ensure
these projects are successful."
In the first RFP, the city is seeking proposals for private development of
an academic village that would contain a university or consortium of
universities. The village could include a research park, a higher education
park to focus on technology and science curricula, facilities for meetings and
conferences and commercial amenities that would enhance the success of the
final development.
In the second RFP, Cape Coral is seeking proposals from firms to develop a
hotel and ice rink adjacent to Sun Splash in the Lake Kennedy Complex. The ice
rink would include a heat transfer system to allow the water park to heat its
water and extend the season it is currently open. The hotel and ice rink
coupled with the existing facilities would create a family recreation cluster
on city-owned land at Lake Kennedy.
In both cases, the city will lease the land to developers, who will in
turn build and manage the projects independently.
The deadline for responding to the hotel/ice rink proposal is Oct. 30,
2008, while the academic village deadline is Dec. 23, 2008. Copies of the RFP
are available online at www.demandstar.com or by calling (239) 574-0831.
Cape Coral, the largest city in Southwest Florida, was ranked No. 1 by INC
Magazine in its list of best mid-sized cities for doing business. The Cape
Coral Economic Development Office assists existing businesses and recruits new
ones, administers incentive programs and conducts global marketing for the
city. Visit www.bizcapecoral.com .
SOURCE City of Cape Coral

Mike Jackson, +1-239-574-0444, mjackson@capecoral.net, or Christy Vogt,
+1-239-574-0444, cvogt@capecoral.net, both of Cape Coral Economic Development
Office, or Karen Baxter of Priority Marketing, +1-239-267-2638,
karen@prioritymarketing.com