SHIPPING
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TREASURE COAST BOATING
the county bought the port property for $12
million, everything went into overdrive.
Others began to see the same potential
for mega yachts to become a thriving
billion-dollar business, and the county put
out a request for qualification to find a new
manager for port operations.
Haack had already proven himself at the
port dock, which he leased from the county,
and had an unblemished reputation among
the yachting community. Before the county
purchased the land, he could have bought
the port land outright, but the county now
wanted to lease the property to get the best
deal. Haack needed the backing of community
investors.
After a long successful business career,
Sandy Woods could easily envision the
port’s possible growth, so he purchased
five available acres from Port Consolidated
to put a foothold into the harbor.
Four of those acres will eventually act as
a warehouse and industrial construction
site for yacht interiors and maintenance
supplies. The waterfront acre, which had
the most direct line to the ocean access,
would become its beautiful pearl, where
the office would be developed.
“Sandy bought the Consolidated property
so we would have a presence, and
nobody could kick us out no matter which
The company’s property has a beautiful
view of the Fort Pierce Inlet and direct
access to the Atlantic Ocean and
Florida’s Intracoastal Waterway.
way the contract award went,” says Haack.
Sandy Woods bought the land for more than $3 million in May 2016 to
create Fort Pierce Yacht and Ship Ltd. and owns 417 feet of submerged land
rights. He jokes that he told his partners that if this didn’t work out, “worst
case scenario I have the best view in town.”
CHRISTINA TASCON
Larry Lee Jr., left, introduced FPY&S’s partners, Sandy Woods, Khalil Mack, Buddy Haack, Amber Woods and Sandy Mack.
CHRISTINA TASCON
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