PENSACOLA, FL. — Alan Suskey, Executive Vice President and Principal State Practice at Shumaker Advisors, helped the City of Pensacola secure a $9 million investment from the State of Florida that will support major infrastructure improvements at the Port of Pensacola and advance the city's growing maritime and defense manufacturing industry.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the award through the Governor's Job Growth Grant Fund during a presentation at the American Magic High Performance Center at the Port of Pensacola. The funding will support infrastructure and capacity-building efforts tied to the establishment of Birdon America Inc.'s Southeastern headquarters in Pensacola.
The project represents a $275 million overall investment and is expected to create approximately 2,000 manufacturing and related jobs.
"Pensacola has a tremendous opportunity to build on its longstanding maritime heritage and become an even more significant center for advanced shipbuilding and defense manufacturing," said Alan. "We are proud to have worked with the City of Pensacola and its partners to help secure this critical state investment, which will support high-quality jobs, strengthen the local economy, and expand Florida's maritime industrial base."
The state funding will support infrastructure associated with the construction of two new shipbuilding facilities at the Port of Pensacola, encompassing approximately 400,000 square feet of manufacturing space.
Once complete, the facilities will have the capacity to produce complex Navy ship modules for Tier 1 shipyards, submarine modules, and complete surface vessels up to 400 feet long. The project is designed to strengthen the nation's maritime industrial base while supporting the federal goal of expanding U.S. shipbuilding capacity.
Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves called the state investment a significant milestone for the city.
"There are moments in a city's history that define trajectory for not just years but for generations, and I certainly think this is one of those days," Reeves said.
The development is expected to serve as a catalyst for a broader maritime and defense cluster in Pensacola, attracting suppliers and creating opportunities for collaboration with the University of West Florida's WAVE Center, Pensacola State College, and the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition.
With the Birdon project, the Port of Pensacola is positioned to expand its role in the national defense supply chain while creating thousands of high-wage employment opportunities for residents and Veterans in the Pensacola region. The investment also strengthens Pensacola's position as a growing center for maritime innovation, advanced manufacturing, and national defense.