Port Lands Cruise Line Will Build 60m Hq
By Wayne Tompkins
The Port of Miami expects next month to announce a deal that will bring a new cruise line headquarters to the port as well as a new $60 million terminal to accommodate it.
Port Director Bill Johnson said the deal, if completed, would be in the range of 15 years and $60 million.
"We’re getting very close to announcing jointly the actual cruise line and the parameters of the deal," Mr. Johnson said. "It represents a good deal for the port and the cruise line. We’re excited."
The port, operated by Miami-Dade County, hopes to present the deal to the county commission’s transit committee in November and to the full commission a month later, Mr. Johnson said.
The port already is home to most major cruise lines and is the world’s busiest cruise facility, expecting nearly 3.75 million passengers this year. That’s below its 2003 record of 3.96 million, but up substantially from 3.1 million passengers in 1999.
"We’re projecting 3.95 million passengers in 2008," Mr. Johnson said.
The pending announcement comes as the port is opening two new cruise terminals for Carnival Cruise Lines.
"These are state-of-the art terminals that we built for $40 million each," Mr. Johnson said. "It continues the long legacy here where modern-day cruising was actually invented more than 40 years ago at the Port of Miami."
The port is home to 22 different vessels and seven different brands in the cruise industry. While the identity of the new cruise line has not been publicly disclosed, Disney Cruise Lines, now based at Port Canaveral, recently made it known it might be looking to move or expand elsewhere. European lines looking to expand East Coast operations might also be interested in giving the Port of Miami a look.
Mr. Johnson said he also is aggressively pursuing the growing "port of call" business of vessels that make mid-week stops. Advertisement
Related Articles
- Three-way deal brings shore power to cruise ships
- Port-bound cruise industry looks at overseas sailings
- PortMiami follows airport in breaking passenger records
- Cruise lines that can’t sail get another fee break
- Christine Duffy: President steers Carnival Cruise…
- Mayor prepares for 12th director appointment, at PortMiami
- FYI Miami: February 8, 2024
- Teams to help PortMiami navigate construction flotilla
- County floats bonds for Royal Caribbean headquarters
- PortMiami builds team for billions in new projects
Most Popular
- Miami Beach goes shopping for $6.5 million oceanfront house
- Miami International Airport advances vast Central Terminal revamp
- Biden budget funds Northeast Miami-Dade rail startup
- Future of deteriorating Jackie Gleason Theater a tossup
- Three-tower Miami Riverbridge wins river commission backing
- 40-story Santander Tower to add Brickell Class A offices
- Highly touted 830 Brickell office tower opening awaited
- Coral Gables talks to Miami International Airport CEO for manager
- Underdeck 33-acre park under signature bridge underfunded
- Polish American Club plans Miami River tower
Recent Comments