Southwest

Southwest

Southwest is Florida’s smallest economic development region by size, but it looms large in assets and likeability. This region’s largest county — Collier — is Florida’s second richest and home to the city of Naples, dubbed America’s No. 1 “Best Beach Town to Live In” by WalletHub. In Lee County, Fort Myers leads the nation in fastest growing cities and this year jumped from No. 8 to No. 5 on WalletHub’s “Best Small Cities to Start a Business.” Here too is Charlotte County, strategically located along I-75 between Tampa and Miami, providing easy access to more than 4 million customers within a 90-mile radius and coming soon, the spectacular Sunseeker Resort.

 

Logisitics & Distribution

Companies desiring easy accessibility to domestic and international markets need look no further than Florida’s Southwest. Here, where I-75 bisects the region from north to south, five deep-water ports are within a day’s drive and goods move seamlessly in and out by air, sea, rail and road. In all three counties comprising this region, construction is underway on facilities to support logistics and distribution.

ABC Supply, in Charlotte County, is constructing a nearly 60,000-sq.-ft. combination warehouse and office facility next to Punta Gorda Airport with an anticipated completion date of early 2023. Nearby, on the grounds of the Enterprise Charlotte Airport Park a 378,000-sq.-ft. warehouse logistics center is taking shape next to where a 250,000-sq.-ft. FedEx Ground facility is under construction.

Stonemont Financial Group and joint venture partner Geis Cos. have purchased 35 acres in Fort Myers for the development of a 500,000-sq.-ft. Class A industrial park with easy proximity to I-75, U.S. 41 and other major thoroughfares. Titled Legacy at Oriole Road, the development is slated to include two warehouses, each measuring 250,000-sq.-ft., and will be designed to accommodate tenants needing as little as 37,000 square feet. Estimated completion: summer 2023.

Uline, a packaging giant in Collier County, broke ground in fall 2021 on a $96-million distribution center in Naples. The 937,000-sq.-ft. project, which includes a warehouse and office complex, anticipates an early 2023 opening.

KEY PLAYERS: Cheney Brothers, Riviera Beach; Scotlynn USA Division, Fort Myers; Uline, Pleasant Prairie, Wisc.

Manufacturing

Energy Harness, a Cape Coral-based LED lighting maker, is garnering attention for its Active Airflow UV-C fixture, which uses UV light to kill airborne pathogens, including the COVID-19 virus. The fixture, which underwent testing at Florida Gulf Coast University, works by exposing indoor air to a large dose of high-energy UV-C light as the air passes through the device.

KEY PLAYERS: Global Tech LED, Bonita Springs; Morey Machining & Manufacturing, Fort Myers; Pelican Wire, Naples

 

Transportation

After nearly two years of COVID-induced declining airport activity, Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers is making a comeback, setting an all-time monthly record as 1.51 million passengers traveled through the facility in March 2022. Leading the influx was Delta Airlines with 284,407 total passengers. Southwest Florida International served more than 10.3 million passengers in 2021 to remain among the top 50 U.S. airports for passenger traffic. In May 2022, Paragon Flight Training, which is based at Page Field in Fort Myers, announced a new flight training partnership in conjunction with Purdue University Global that will reduce the overall time and expense needed to earn a Bachelor of Science in professional flight.

At Punta Gorda Airport in Charlotte County, Allegiant and Sun Country provide low-cost, nonstop air services to more than 50 U.S. destinations. In 2021, the carriers served a combined passenger count of 1,569,836. And in June 2022, Charlotte Technical College’s FAA-certified Aviation Maintenance Technician School received $3 million from the state for a new combined hangar and classroom facility to meet growing demand for certified aircraft mechanics.

Meanwhile, in Collier County, Naples-based air-service charter company Elite Jets has added a dozen new team members, including seven pilots, to its workforce in response to increased demand from affluent business and leisure travelers. Founded in 2016, Elite Jets has grown to include a private terminal at Naples Airport consisting of three adjacent hangars and a fleet of five luxury jets — four Embraer Phenom 300s and one Embraer Legacy 500 — and recently extended its lease with the Naples Airport Authority to 2050.

 

Headquarters

More than a year after exiting bankruptcy, The Hertz Corporation continues to rebound at its headquarters in Estero with an emphasis on electric vehicles. As part of its plan to go fully electric, Hertz ordered 100,000 Teslas last fall to be delivered over 14 months. In February 2022, Hertz expanded its global electric vehicle commitment with a $19-million investment in Luxembourg-based UFODrive, the first all-digital, all-electric car rental service controlled from an app.

And settling into a new headquarters in Florida’s Southwest: Matilda Jane Clothing, a girls’ and women’s apparel business. Previously based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Matilda Jane has taken up residence in an 8,000-sq.-ft. office in Fort Myers. The firm’s CEO, Donna Noce Colaco, formerly served as president of Fort Myers-based Chico’s brand White House Black Market.

 

Life Sciences & Health Care

Florida’s Southwest region is served by three primary health care systems — Lee Health with five hospitals in Lee County: Lee Memorial Hospital, HealthPark Medical Center, Gulf Coast Medical Center, Cape Coral Hospital and Golisano Children’s Hospital; NCH Healthcare with two hospitals in Collier County: NCH Baker and NCH North Naples; and in Charlotte County, two former Bayfront Health facilities newly rebranded as Shore Point Health Port Charlotte and Shore Point Health Punta Gorda.

Currently in the planning stages:

Medical manufacturers are making news in this region too:

KEY PLAYERS: Arthrex, Naples; Lee Health, Fort Myers; NCH Healthcare System, Naples; NeoGenomics, Fort Myers

Education

Southwest Florida is home to Florida Gulf Coast University, which jumped to No. 56 in 2022 among U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Regional Universities South,” and to No. 7 among “Most Innovative Schools.” Students enrolled in GCU’s Daveler & Kauanui School of Entrepreneurship are especially fired up — encouraged by their professors to break from traditional college outcomes by using their degrees to create jobs instead of applying for them.

Florida SouthWestern State College is offering baccalaureate, associate and certificate programs in Punta Gorda, Naples, Fort Myers and LaBelle, plus a Corporate Training Center in Bonita Springs, where programs can be tailored to the needs of Southwest employers. Also available in the region, two private private universities — Hodges and Ave Maria.

Tourism & Hospitality

Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor, the massive property taking shape along the Peace River and Florida’s Gulf Coast in Port Charlotte, won’t welcome its first guests until May 2023, but as of February 2022, it began accepting reservations for those anticipated stays. The property, which will be the first completely new-build resort with more than 300 rooms to open in Southwest Florida in more than 13 years, features 785 guest rooms, 60,000 square feet of meeting and conference space, 19 dining options, 11 bars, two pools, a marina, retail outlets, a state-of-the-art fitness center and spa and an 18-hole golf course exclusive to guests. A wholly owned subsidiary of Allegiant Travel Company, Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor is expected to generate at least 1,200 jobs in Southwest Florida over the next year.

The Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina, a long-time fixture in Fort Myers, is undergoing a makeover of sorts. The property has evolved from a single cottage in 1950 to a 12-acre beach resort and marina offering 195 condo-style villas, all with beach views. Scheduled updates include the kitchens, bathrooms and floors throughout.

Great Wolf Lodge South Florida, an indoor water park resort full of family-friendly attractions for all ages is coming to Naples in 2024. Highlights include: a 100,000-sq.-ft. indoor waterpark with rides and slides for every age level from toddlers to grandparents; a 62,000-sq.-ft. family entertainment center; and family-friendly themed suites with separate sleeping quarters for kids.

 

Life & Leisure

Lots to See and Do!
Florida’s Southwest has a little bit of everything to offer: historic downtowns, quaint shops, eclectic galleries, symphony orchestras, theaters, festivals, museums and more. In Fort Myers, don’t miss the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, and plan to spend some quality time at the Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens, where the animals graze among plants. Be on the lookout for natural wonders too at Sanibel Island, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Ten Thousand Islands and Everglades National Park.

Looking for Some Peace and Quiet?
Let’s be honest — Florida can wear you out. Too many beaches, too many theme parks, too many tourists. So here’s a thought. If you’re looking for a little solitude in Florida’s Southwest, may we suggest the tiny town of Matlacha (pronounced Mat-la-SHAY), population 582, just off the coast of Cape Coral and Pine Island? Within easy reach of all three Southwest counties, it’s a good place to fish, grab a bite to eat and browse a few shops without all the usual tourist crowds.