Okaloosa County approves long-term lease, grant agreement and site work with Williams International at Shoal River Industrial Park

Okaloosa County commissioners voted unanimously June 10 to approve a long-term lease and related agreements with Williams International and to authorize engineering work to advance construction at Shoal River Industrial Park.

County Director of Business Greg Coffey told commissioners the agreement calls for the company to construct roughly 1,000,000 square feet of manufacturing and related support buildings on county land and includes performance measures and an upfront rent payment for the initial 15-year term. “It provides for the company building a million square feet on the property, plus other buildings, associated parking, landscaping, stormwater, etcetera,” Coffey said.

The action follows county approval of a Triumph Gulf Coast term sheet and advances a grant agreement the county will take to the Triumph board. Coffey said the grant agreement and a performance surety were reviewed by legal counsel and Williams International; he said the company has agreed to the terms and expected sequential signatures.

Why it matters: County staff described the project as countywide economic development with job creation potential and follow-on private investment. Coffey said the county has already cleared about 82 acres of the site and is finishing the remainder so Williams International can begin construction as soon as site preparation is complete.

Details and approvals: Commissioners also approved two Avcon task orders to provide mass-grading work and full site design so Williams International can begin building. Coffey described option parcels that would allow the company to expand: a 30-acre parcel subject to a 10-year option and an 80-acre parcel to the south with a 5-year option, both tied to performance milestones. “We set up two parcels... We’ve given them a 10 year option on that [30-acre parcel], and to the south... we’ve given them an 80 acre parcel, a 5 year option,” Coffey said.

County commissioners and staff emphasized built-in performance measures, rent adjustments tied to the amount of building delivered, and higher insurance requirements during construction. Coffey said the county capped option pricing at $50,000 per acre during the option period to provide certainty to the company.

What was decided: The board voted unanimously to: approve the Triumph-related grant agreement authorization, approve the lease with Williams International, and authorize Avcon task orders for grading and full site design. Commissioners praised staff work and encouraged continued coordination on traffic and infrastructure needs.

What’s next: Coffey and staff will complete the performance surety paperwork and coordinate final signatures; task order work will proceed to enable construction. Commissioners noted the project will require continued infrastructure planning and partnerships with regional agencies.