Triumph Board Gives Initial Approval to $76 Million Port of Pensacola Project

Pensacola, FL (Newsradio 92.3) -- The Triumph Gulf Coast board gave initial approval Thursday to a $76 million grant that would transform the Port of Pensacola and create 2,000 jobs.

Project MAVE would establish shipbuilder Birdon America Inc.'s Southeastern headquarters and a Tier 2 advanced ship manufacturing facility in Pensacola. The facility would create 1,437 jobs at an average salary of $68,000 annually and 563 jobs at an average salary of $112,000.

"This project will change the trajectory of our city for generations to come," said Mayor DC Reeves, who is in Washington, D.C., this week meeting with federal agencies. "I promised careers for our hardworking taxpayers. Today shows that we are delivering on that promise."

The city calls it the largest job creation project in Pensacola's history and one of the largest grants ever approved by Triumph Gulf Coast, the nonprofit managing funds recovered from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

When fully approved, the investment will support a 400,000 square-foot shipbuilding facility at the port. The facility will produce critical modules for Navy ships and submarines, surface vessels up to 400 feet, and support U.S. military interests.

The total project cost is $275 million, with additional funding from Birdon's capital investment and a pending $14 million request to the Florida Department of Commerce. Triumph funds will support a $105 million construction program including a panel line and module fabrication warehouse and an assembly bay.

The city will retain ownership of the facilities and enter a long-term ground lease with Birdon, which was established in 1977 and has more than 15 years of experience delivering defense contracts for the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps.

Officials say the goal is to attract suppliers and leverage partnerships with UWF's WAVE Center, Pensacola State College, and the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition to create a talent pipeline.

The city and Triumph will now enter negotiations before final grant agreement approval.