Now a spaceport, Homestead looks to attract a university too

Written by Kelly Sanchez on December 29, 2025

New businesses and population growth are benefiting Homestead’s economy and workforce as the city’s top elected officials seek to maintain the city’s small-town charm.

As reported by Miami Today, new businesses are coming to or near the city. The world’s largest producer of feed for farmed fish, for example, plans to spend $80 million to build a feed mill near Homestead and hire 50 local workers to supply a neighboring indoor salmon farm. AST SpaceMobile, the Midland, Texas-based company building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network, also announced the addition of a new manufacturing site in Homestead.

Mayor Steven Losner said the idea of the city as a spaceport could be transformational for its economy and city officials hope “that hub will attract one of the major universities to establish either a larger presence or a new satellite presence in Homestead in close proximity to the base.”

“We’re hopeful that the spaceport designation for Homestead Air Reserve Base and the aerospace technology designation for the area around the base will be a multigenerational key, a new main pillar of our economy here, in terms of high-tech really well-paying jobs, more professionals, more highly-educated folks coming to the region,” he said.

Mr. Losner added that officials are aware of one company coming to the city’s Park of Commerce and at least one other seeking an agreement with Miami-Dade to acquire some of the county’s property around the air reserve base.

“My theory is that when others in that industry see real activity and commitment to South Florida,” he said, “they too will begin to look here and ask the question, ‘Why are they at Homestead? Do we need to be there?’”

Homestead Vice Mayor Jenifer Bailey said the city is advancing different projects to help support “smart growth” and preparing for the future by expanding infrastructure, services and public safety. The city is working with the Beacon Council and other agencies to attract businesses. In addition, preserving the small-town feel in downtown Homestead is a focal point.

“As far as the downtown, we are reaching out to different potential businesses that can add to that small-town charm,” she said. “It’s not the type of downtown that we really envision having a big box office type business on the corner. Through our CRA, our Community Redevelopment Agency, one of their big goals is these startup businesses, more of the mom-and-pop and being able to offer grants to make sure that they succeed.”