Panama City commission zeroes in on 50‑slip marina pilot, debates financing and partner terms

The Panama City Commission spent its Nov. 10 special meeting focusing on next steps for rebuilding the downtown marina, centering on a 50‑slip pilot that staff said could be designed by December and built as soon as a permitting exemption or interim finance is secured. City staff and outside advisers outlined two basic approaches: a city‑led bid and build using interim borrowing, or a partner‑led approach under term sheets from City Marina Partners (CMP).

The key operational question was timing and risk. Staff member Nevin Zimmerman told commissioners the design work on the first 50 slips could be completed in December, allowing construction to start next year if an exemption is confirmed. "If you have the design, you can submit for exemption paperwork quickly," Olivia Schmidt of the Integrity Group said. "The exemption paperwork's pretty quick," she added, but cautioned the agency often requires detailed schematic plans before granting an exemption because a deviation of more…