Panama City, Florida – (January 4, 2022) – The Bay Economic Development Alliance (BayEDA), Port Panama City, City of Panama City, and Bay County announced today a new 251,000 square-foot FedEx Ground facility is being built in Panama City, Florida, which is expected to open in the fall of 2022. The operation will be located in the Port of Panama City’s Intermodal Distribution Center on U.S. Highway-231 in Panama City. The 33-acre site was chosen, in part, because of its ease of access to major highways, proximity to customers' distribution centers and a strong local community workforce for recruiting employees.
Code named “Project Rocket”, the BayEDA, Port Panama City, the City of Panama City and Bay County worked with The Westmoreland Company Inc. (developer for the FedEx Ground project) and FedEx Ground to solidify the project in the Port owned Intermodal Distribution Center of Panama City.
Will Cramer, Chairman of the Bay Economic Development Alliance stated, “We are pleased to partner with Port Panama City and local government to help this great company grow in Bay County. Distribution and Logistics is one of our key target markets in economic development recruitment, and this project further diversifies our local economy and has a major impact on our County’s continued growth. This is a great example of the success that can be celebrated through the efforts of public/private partnership.”
Alex King, Executive Director of Port Panama City, has been instrumental through the progression of this project. “The Panama City Port Authority is excited that FedEx Ground has chosen to invest in a state-of-the art facility at our Intermodal Distribution Center. I want to thank our Port Authority Board of Directors, the Bay Economic Development Alliance, the City of Panama City, Bay County, the Bay County Chamber of Commerce, and Gulf Power for their hard work and enthusiastic support of this project. The investment by FedEx Ground will further strengthen Panama City’s role as a domestic and international distribution hub for the Northwest Florida region.”
The City of Panama City has been involved in the progression of this project. According to Greg Brudnicki, Mayor of Panama City, “This project provides our citizens of Panama City with one more option for a quality career in our City. This project helps keep our talented workforce in the area with competitive paying jobs. The project also capitalizes on the investments made by the Port Authority and the city of Panama City to get the Intermodal Distribution “shovel ready” and prepared for large distribution projects like FedEx Ground’s new building. We look forward to working with FedEx Ground and making sure they have everything they need to be successful in our community.”
About Port Panama City
The mission of Port Panama City is to expand regional economic opportunities by providing modern port facilities, promoting trade, and supporting industrial development. Port Panama City is both a landlord and an operating port, administered by the Panama City Port Authority, an agency of the City of Panama City. The Port Authority consists of five board members appointed by the Panama City Commission for four–year terms. According to the stipulations of the Port Authority’s enabling legislation, property owned or subsequently acquired by the Port Authority is held for the benefit of the City and the Port Authority.
About Bay Economic Development Alliance
The Bay County Economic Development Alliance (BayEDA) is Bay County’s economic development entity. Publicly and privately funded, BayEDA serves Bay County in the mission of supporting the existing businesses in Bay County and in the recruitment of new businesses to Bay County. BayEDA supports the existing pillars of the economy and is dedicated to growing and diversifying the Bay County economy.
You can download a copy of this press release here.
