Osceola County is launching its second Neocity Technology Park in St. Cloud, the latest part of the county’s aggressive and publicly subsidized employment development efforts.
The county has been considering “Neocit South” since last year, when it acquired 323 acres on the Cross Prairie Parkway in the new Florida Turnpike Interchange with W. Norte Road from Dr. Houghton. According to a report from GrowthSpotter, Director of Development Services, Raymond Stangle announced the decision last week, speaking to the Osceola County Association of Realtors.
“We’ve been pushing Neocity forward at a lively pace, and there’s a lot of interest there,” says Stangle. “And now we’re taking the next step, looking at 300 acres and partnering with St. Cloud to create Neocity South. We’re extremely excited to bring jobs to Osceola County based on our brand.”
The county is approaching a contract for the development of a smart city center on Mainnote Campus, pinned to a new $225 million performing arts center. County manager Don Fisher said co-developers Sciame Construction and Edward J. Minskoff will submit a Phase 1 development plan by December.
South Korea-based high-tech company Elspes is in negotiations to build a US manufacturing facility with a global headquarters nearby, with an investment of $370 million. According to Fisher, the development contract is expected within two months.
According to a memorandum adopted last November, Elspes will invest at least $170 million to build and equip the 75,000-square-foot facility. Construction is expected to begin in 2025, so the first 100 employees were in 2026 (200 more by 2028), with an average salary of $85,000. The second phase of development will bring another $200 million in manufacturing equipment and 300 jobs to the facility by 2034.
The Osceola commissioner paid $17.3 million to Neocity South Affresseage, west of the Turnpike between Tohoqua and the Heritage at Crossprairie Urban Center. At the time of purchase, Fisher told Growthspotter that he wanted the county to preserve the land as potential industrial land and not to become a separate residential or apartment complex.
The facility is located just east of Tohoka’s future high school and north of the Heritage Urban Center in CrossPrairie. WMG Development will purchase the 95-acre heritage site for $20 million in June and begin horizontal construction work, including extending Nolte Road to a new interchange early next year.
Osceola County is also moving forward with plans for another site in St. Cloud. A year ago, the county paid $15 million on 61 acres between US 192 and Neptune Road, and is currently negotiating the site with JCQ Services, the Orlando Hospitality and Theme Park Fabricator.
Fisher said the company will need to reach a purchase agreement with the county until December. JCQ was the sole responder to the county’s letter request of interest, and Fisher extended the negotiation period for several reasons.
“We’ve been having conversations with them,” he said. “They don’t need the entire property. The turnpike needs a rainwater pond. So we’re talking to Turnpike Enterprises, and part of the back of that property is rainwater retention for the turnpike’s expansion.”
The toll roads are expanded from two lanes to four lanes in each direction from US 192 to Clay Whitey Road. For this, there is a W. Includes a new Diverging Diamond Interchange for NolteRoad and removes the Clay Whaley Road access lamp.
Fisher said the request from Turnpike Enterprise was a bit surprising. “It’s spreading now, so I don’t understand why there’s no pond,” he said. “I think JCQ often line up in the absence of needing that much property. My guess is that the turnpike probably needs around 10-15 acres.
Any tips on developing Central Florida? Please contact me at lkinsler@growthspotter.com or (407) 420-6261. Follow GrowthSpotter on Facebook and LinkedIn.
