BOCA RATON, Fla. — It's surf’s up for the Boca Raton Beach and Park District, which could see a new surf park heading to the community after district leaders gave the project a top rating this week.
The $60 million project is one of three projects being considered by the district for the North Park area.
Developers with Boca Surf Park hope the city will approve its proposal, which they say could bring more than $30 million in economic boost and 80 to 100 permanent jobs to the area.
WPTV's Ange Toussaint spoke with Boca Surf Park developers Cheyne Cotrell and Matt Oliveira of Boca Surf Park LLC. Both men say they’re hoping to make the project a reality for the district.
“It’s the perfect place. It’s nice and south so it’s warm all year round. We can be open 12 months a year,” said Cotrell, a longtime business owner in Boca Raton.
Cotrell describes why he decided to invest in the community once again.
“We are locals, we live here. I grew up in Boca, my family has, and we just want the best for the community,” Cotrell added.
Developers want to lease 20 acres of public land for 99 years in exchange for revenue share with the district. Boca Surf Park is proposing a 3% revenue share for the first 15 years with incremental increases over the lifetime of the development.
The project is one of nine proposals that the district received as part of efforts to boost recreational and outdoor activity in the area.
Region Indian River County
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“The board listened to those presentations, they liked them and now we’re just in the process of finding out the feasibility of the top-ranked proposals,” said Briann Harms, executive director of Greater Boca Raton Beach Park and District.
The project received overwhelming support from supporters at Monday’s commission meeting. But not everyone is sold on the idea.
Some nearby residents worry about what a project this size could mean for traffic and noise.
“I don’t want a humongous 20-acre facility coming here with a bunch of traffic,” said Christopher Carr, a resident of Boca Teeca, a community situated near the proposed site.
But Cotrell assured residents that a traffic study found the project would cause “minimal impact,” to traffic in the community.
District leaders say they have requested more information from developers of this and other proposals before making a final decision. Officials say they will engage with residents to get feedback on the proposals.
