The Suncoast Parkway connecting us to Tampa – its final construction phase is underway and it will extend through Citrus County and end just north of Seven Rivers RMC by 2016

According to Josh Wooten 2009-2010 Citrus County Chamber of Commerce President, after the population doubled to 130,000 since 1989, the growth of Citrus County over the next 20 years is “certain and predictable.”

• As a medical professional looking to the future, this is important as you will be moving to a community that is growing – for physicians this means the ability to grow your practice, and for future employees this means SRRMC will grow along with our service area and grow opportunities for you.

The most noticeable and obvious indicator of growth is the Suncoast Parkway (above) – a no-stop-light-70-mph-speed- limit-toll road that has promoted population growth north from Tampa, basically “opening up” the counties to Tampa’s north and making for a convenient drive, ending at Tampa International Airport and Downtown Tampa.

Expanding Infrastructure and Retail Growth/Chamber President Josh Wooten:

New retail centers, and road expansions throughout Citrus County

Traffic numbers trigger to many corporations and large-box retailers that now is the time to invest in our area

Josh Wooten and the Crystal River Commons project, a 300,000SF Town Center

“This community is changing and growing – the Suncoast Parkway has grown population to our south over the last decade and the final stages of its development will be at our front door. Job growth, retail and commercial real estate growth, population growth – all will be up in the coming decades. But what will transform our county will be the construction of the 2 additional nuclear power stations in Levy County – few places in America will experience our growth in the next 20 year. This is an extremely exciting time for Citrus County!” – Josh Wooten

The most significant retail development in the county’s history is under 5 minutes south of SRRMC’s campus on Suncoast Blvd (US 19), called Crystal River Commons. With 4 anchor big-box retailer tenants, including a “Super Lowes,” the “town center style” shopping center will be eco-friendly and literally change the face of shopping in our immediate service area. As smaller shopping plaza but significant due to its upscale nature is the Shoppes at Black Diamond.

Josh in front of an upscale RV park just 3 miles north of SRRMC which will double in size in order to accommodate 800 RV guests, and our small airport is lengthening its runway to accommodate charter jets

Hollinswood Harbor is a 550 acre upscale boating community with marina and retail centers, which will be built alongside the barge canal bordering Levy County (5 miles north of SRRMC). The barge canal bridge is being expanded to 4 lanes to open access to the north due to the 2 new Progress Energy nuclear power stations that will be constructed over the next 20 years in Levy County.

Josh Wooten
President
Citrus County Chamber
Josh reviews County Map and Projects
Running time (7:06 minutes)
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Progress Energy Applies for 2 additional nuclear-power generating plants in Levy County:

Progress Energy, the #2 supplier of energy in the US and major supplier to the state of Florida, will construct an additional 2 nuclear power stations north of us in Levy County, with plans to be online in 2018 – this will secure thousands of new jobs through their construction and operation.

The current Crystal River Energy Complex consists of five power-generating plants on a 4,700 acre (1,900 hectare) site near the mouth of the Crystal River. Crystal River 1 and 2 are fossil fuel power plants. Crystal River 3 is the sole nuclear power plant on the site, while Crystal River 4 and 5 are also fossil fuel power plants. The complex is now owned and operated by Progress Energy Inc. With a summer generating capacity of 3,140 megawatts (as of April 2002), the complex was the seventh largest electric power generating site in the United States in 2006-2007.

• Because Levy County is sparsely populated, we expect the Progress Energy activity will add 10% to Crystal River’s population.

Let’s talk about nuclear power for a moment: it powers 75% of France’s power needs. Britain has just approved 8 new power plants. The German government is working to include nuclear power into its immediate future.

Here are the facts: In 2006 the United States got just 2.3% of its net electricity generation from “renewable” energy sources (solar, wind power, and bio fuels), and according to the US Energy Information Administration, by 2018 our need for electricity needs will be 4.4 trillion kilowatt hours per year and the total share of renewable will be just over 4%. It’s obviously not enough.

It’s abundantly clear with concerns about global warming, caused by pollutants from fossil fuels and sulphur emitting coal-fired power plants, that the near zero emission nuclear energy and hydroelectric power – where available, are the best and cleanest sources of power. New “recyclable nuclear waste” technologies are making nuclear power more promising, as less waste will be the result. There are more than 20 applications for new nuclear power plants submitted to the NRC.

Progress Energy’s projects in our region started with the plant upgrade at the current Crystal River plant, which resulted in 700 more jobs.

• 3,000 acres were purchased in Levy County and after winning approval from the state of Florida to build two new plants, Progress Energy will be at “the center of a ‘nuclear renaissance’ in the United States.”
• The new plants will generate up to 2,200 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 1.4 million homes – and Progress energy hopes to have them online by 2018.

What does that mean for our economy? From the initial due diligence and geological planning work, through construction and then plant operation, thousands of jobs will be created, with a final tally of as many as 1,000 permanent, high-paying jobs will have a major impact on Crystal River – which by then will have the final exit of the Suncoast Parkway.

More on the Suncoast Parkway and Our Retail Development:

The Suncoast Parkway has been singularly responsible for dramatic growth into what was formerly undeveloped lands immediately north of Tampa. The population growth and development since it was begun back in 1994, has been remarkable, and it continues. Immediately north of Tampa has boomed as the undeveloped land was dramatically less expensive, and it made for better real estate values and a “commuter lifestyle” into the city via the parkway (that’s called suburbs).

Tampa is in Hillsborough County. Going northward, the next 2 counties before our Citrus County are Pasco, and then Hernando, respectively. Particularly southern Pasco, because it is immediately north of Tampa, is now, for all practical purposes, a “suburb” of Tampa. Hernando County has grown less but has experienced population growth. Citrus County may grow much faster than Hernando County has in the last decade However, with 3 proposed intersections, along with its final exit along US Highway 19 two miles north of Seven Rivers RMC – all which are existing cities/population centers, we expect there to be significantly more growth in Citrus County than Hernando – not just due to coincidental exits along already-existing population centers, but also due to the amazing quality of life in Citrus County.

Suncoast Parkway Review

Suncoast Parkway Expansion Map

Important Notes on Brochures:

The Suncoast Parkway 2 report is specific to our area on pages 12-18
12-15: Map of proposed continuance of Parkway ending just north of Seven Rivers RMC
16: Bypass over Lecanto and SR 44 (a few miles southeasterly of Crystal River)
17-18: Design and Development schedules

The Suncoast Parkway will come north through Lecanto and then curve northwest
and connect with US 19 just north of Crystal River

The Suncoast Parkway, which connects us to Tampa in under an hour, ended here in 2007-2008 and future plans are to circle it around to the east and then northwest to connect to US 19 just 2 miles north of SRRMC

The “Suncoast Parkway 2” Map is lying on its side – the right side is North and the left of the map is our South, which is where the final development stages are to begin. When you open the PDF map, “right click” and turn the image counter clockwise. Or you can PRINT the map.

More Photos on the Suncoast Parkway

Shoppes at Black Diamond (PDF)

Crystal River Commons (PDF)

Retail and Commercial Initiatives: Scheduled for completion in 2010, The Shoppes at Black Diamond, planned for the intersection of SR 491 and SR 486, as well as the Crystal River Commons, a 300,000 SF Town Center south of the Inverness Airport, are symbols of how we will grow into the future.

Business Park/Incubator Program: With expansion planned at both the Crystal River and Inverness airports, a Business Park is being proposed, and supported by the University of Central Florida, to support tech-related support services – the incubator/business park is proposed on county land adjacent to Inverness airport.

Expansion of Love Honda Dealership in Crystal River, and continued big-time growth along the Suncoast Parkway

Citrus County Economic Development Council (CDC) Target Industries:*

• Distribution Companies – among the highest paying non-professional employers
• Incoming Call Centers – service organizations and customer support, not outgoing call centers
• Small Manufacturing and Assembly – Owner-operated contributors to local economy
• Boat Manufacturing
• Software Developers/Providers – are already located in Citrus County
• Seafood Processing – target for local cottage producers, and potential relocating business moving to Citrus County from areas where their property value has made the business less profitable

“Actions Identified from the Planning Process”**

• Expansion of Inverness and Crystal River airports
• Expansion of the local roads and Suncoast Parkway
• Establish additional degree programs at Community College
• Efforts to improve employment in healthcare, health technology, information technology, medical products manufacturing and other green industries

CDC strategies include: Improving Labor Availability and Productivity, Improving Existing and Future Transportation Needs and Working to Improve Quality of Life in Citrus County.

Images Courtesy Sibex and Clear Springs

Sibex, and electronic chip maker for electric signs, and Clear Springs, a resource reclamation corporation, are new to Citrus County in 2008 – photos of circuit boards and a blueberry field – more money than strawberries; it also has a subsidiary focusing on manufacturing alligator hide products here as a more profitable venture than shipping the raw product to France. Sibex will build a new plant with plans to grow to 150 jobs, while Clear Springs opened Black Diamond Tannery in Citrus County.

Major Employers in Citrus County:

Healthcare (Hospitals, medical caregivers): 1500
Progress Energy: 1,100
Citrus County School Board: 1,000
Sunshine Materials Corporation: 267 employees
Pro-Line Boats: 250
County Sheriff’s Department: 250

53% of the land in Citrus County is either state or county-owned land, designated as parks and preserves – we promote our area as a place with vast undeveloped nature lands which make our quality of living so special.

Continued Population Growth:

With retirees coming to Florida seeking warm winters and the associated quality of life, it seems logical they will avoid congestion and high prices. In fact, Citrus County already ranks #1 in the nation in per capita in residents with unearned (principally retirement) income at 72.3%.

With the Suncoast Parkway, a direct access toll road ending at Crystal River, providing extremely easy access to Tampa, we should continue to be a “preferred” spot for retirees. We will continue to attract retirees as the United States inches to the top of the “baby boomer retirement bell curve.”

• Every 60 seconds a baby boomer turns 60 in America. (Jurvetson, below)
• 1 in 5 citizens of Florida is over sixty-five, more than in any other state, and by 2025, all America will fit that same profile. (Moses, below)
• Citrus County is well-known as a “retirement Mecca” with a large population of retirees – this is a good thing as this reputation promotes continued growth from that demographic.

This growth of baby boomers from Citrus County represents enormous opportunities for healthcare services relating to aging, as well as economic opportunities to serve a growing population continuing to move here for retirement and leisure activities.

More than 4,000,000 people in the US turned 50 in 2006

Bill Geist, The Big 5-Oh: Fearing, Facing, and Fighting Fifty (William Morrow & Company, Inc., 1998)

Resources:

http://crystalrivercommons.com
www.Suncoast2online.com
Wall Street Journal, July 22, 2008 http://online.wsj.com/public/article_print/SB121668313890771925.html
Tampa Tribune, August 2, 2008 http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/aug/02/bz-nuclear-plant-plan-filed-with-nrc/
* From “2005 Economic Development Council’s Strategic Plan” provided by EDC
** From “Citrus County EDC Strategic/Action Plan 2005-2006” provided by EDC
Citrus County ranks #1 in the nation in per capita in residents with unearned (principally retirement) income at 72.3%. EDC, 2006
“Today, one in five citizens of Florida is over sixty-five, more than in any other state. By 2025, all America will fit that same profile. We'll be a nation of Floridas....In 2030 all of the Boomers will have reached sixty-five (and we will be a nation that is living longer and healthier).”
Pigs, Pythons, and Politics: How to Survive the Aging of the Baby Boomers, Chicago, Illinois: March 22, 2000 Stephen A. Moses
“Every 60 seconds, a baby boomer turns 60.” Steve Jurvetson, VC Fund Manager commenting his testimony at the White House Conference on Aging
Menlo Park, California, United States
BLOG entry, Saturday, October 29, 2005