Lena Goldstein, chair of the Saint Lucie Economic Development Council, told the Port St. Lucie City Council on Aug. 11 that the city continues to attract projects that expand industrial and manufacturing capacity while the council and EDC work to convert announced projects into sustained local jobs.

The EDC presentation said two projects announced in the first half of 2025 include an expansion by Freedom Boat Club at Sandpiper Bay Resort Marina and Costco’s Phase 2 distribution facility, which the EDC said is under construction. Senior Vice President Wes McCurry said the Costco campus and its adjacent Phase 1 will total about 1,700,000 square feet of new space and are expected to generate “370 plus new jobs” in the Southern Grove jobs corridor. McCurry also cited an alternate summary for two announced projects that, as reported in the EDC packet, total about $74,000,000 in new capital investment, roughly 1,250,000 square feet and a projection of about 115 new jobs; he attributed the different figures to the variety of projects in the EDC’s midyear accounting.

Why it matters: The EDC framed the update as part of an ongoing strategy to turn site announcements into occupied facilities and payrolls. The presentation included an economic-impact analysis the EDC commissioned: its consultant using IMPLAN estimated that EDC-assisted projects since February 2017 are projected to create roughly 21,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs, generate about $1.2 billion in income and roughly $4.4 billion in economic output, according to the figures McCurry presented. The EDC also reported a calculated 2024 return on investment of roughly $111 of economic output for every $1 invested in the EDC (about $106 after accounting for tax abatements), a figure the city and EDC staff said was produced by the SBDC using the consultants’ data.

Supporting details: The EDC said its pipeline includes seven active prospects—four manufacturers, two technology firms and one entertainment-district concept—with six actively considering Port St. Lucie locations. Projects under construction the EDC named include Dragonfly Commerce Park (three tenants announced), Marine Digital Integrators (a 38,000-square-foot buildout in Legacy Park), the Costco facility (described by the EDC as 100% solar powered) and new facilities for ImportMex Distributors and Lactalogix. Oculus Surgical’s manufacturing facility in the Southern Grove Shops Corridor was listed as a recently completed project.

Workforce and education initiatives: The EDC outlined workforce-focused programs and a new nonprofit affiliate, the Treasure Coast Center for Education and Economic Development, led by Anita Fisher. The EDC said a seven-week paid internship program run this summer placed 51 students with 25 local employers; interns were paid $15 per hour with funding provided by a private grant to the Boys & Girls Club, the EDC said. The EDC also described ongoing efforts to link employers with school-district CTE programs and to stage career fairs and employer site visits.

Council members praised the presentation and asked staff to use the EDC materials when discussing tax abatements or economic incentives with residents. Council members and EDC leaders emphasized that announced projects require continued follow-through—zoning, site plans, workforce development and infrastructure—to translate into long-term local jobs.

What remains open: The EDC presentation included a list of prospective sites and projects but did not commit the city to any new incentives or specific agreements; council members asked staff to keep working with the EDC on vacancy in Legacy Park and on development in the East Side and Southern Grove corridors. The EDC noted that more details and the consultant reports are available on the EDC website.