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Economic Prosperity

Ensuring economic opportunities and a sustainable economy, with an emphasis on Broward's lower and middle class helps Broward County achieve its goals for ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.

Prominently marketing Broward County as a brand, while increasing public understanding of programs and services helps the County achieve its goals for CONNECTED COMMUNITY.

Top Achievements in FY2023

Broward County's strong economy is due in large part to three key economic engines: Airport, Seaport and Tourism, and the efforts of our Office of Economic and Small Business Development and Film Commission. Growth in Broward County's revenue-generating enterprises is balanced with economic, environmental and community considerations. Major capital projects provide infrastructure that is responsive to community needs.

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)

Passenger traffic up 11.2% over 2022 with 34.3 million total passengers in FY2023. Domestic traffic was up 8% and international passenger traffic was up 30%. According to Airports Council International, FLL currently ranks as the 17^th busiest airport and 11^th in international traffic in the U.S.

52 Million Passengers by 2035
In the last seven years, FLL has invested more than $2.6 billion in infrastructure modernization and improvements. The approved Airport Master Plan is continuing as scheduled. Major components include:

Terminal 5- groundbreaking late 2023 and anticipated completion Q2 2026
Intermodal Center - anticipated completion Q4 2029
Automated People Mover - anticipated completion Q1 2030
Light Rail System connecting from Port Everglades and the Broward County Convention Center into the Intermodal Center creating a seamless link for travelers to connect to the airport's Automated People Mover.
A new multi-level parking garage and roadway improvements

New Service Launched at FLL

Frontier: Las Vegas and Cleveland
Avelo: Wilmington, NC and Raleigh Durham
Azul: Manaus, Brazil
Spirit: Norfolk and San Antonio
Bermudair: Bermuda
El Al: seasonal service to Tel Aviv, Israel, year-round flights starting early 2024

New Service on the Horizon

Allegiant: Nashville and Cedar Rapids (November 2023)
Bahamasair: Georgetown (November 2023)
Porter: Toronto and Ottawa (November Nov 2023)
American Airlines: Washington National (November 2023)

FLL also opened 11 concessions including the first Florida airport with Amazon tech. The Market on Las Olas opened in August 2023 in Terminal 3 featuring Amazon's checkout-free shopping platform.

Learn more at Broward.org/Airport

Port Everglades

Current data shows $33 billion in economic activity, $1.18 billion in state and local taxes. The Port provided 9,584 direct local jobs and support for 216,543 jobs statewide in Florida.
Hosted more than 4,000 ship calls on eight cruise lines and 35+ ships plus the Balearia Caribbean ferry and welcomed almost 3 million cruise passengers.
Held 129.3 million barrels of petroleum, and just over 1 million containerized cargo TEUs. (TEU:-Twenty-foot equivalent units, the industry standard for measurement, which refers to a 20-foot cargo container).
Completed significant improvements to Cruise Terminal 4 and the adjacent berth.
Disney Cruise Line will open its newest homeport with the arrival of the Disney Dream in November 2023 offering 4- and 5- day Caribbean cruises.

This 15-year partnership includes a minimum 10.6 million passenger movements, and three 5-year extension options that could add another 11.25 million passenger movements.
The agreement supports an estimated 1,111 direct local jobs generating $31.6 million in wages and $12.3 million in state and local taxes.

Experienced record months for cargo volumes with sailings from new markets in India, Asia and the Mediterranean.
In 2023, according to the World Bank, Port Everglades became the 89^th ranked port for cargo operational performance worldwide, surpassing its 2021 ranking at 116. In North America, the Port moved from the 11th position to number 5.
Completed an extensive and unique public art Wayfinding/signage installation for safe and efficient visitor traffic management.
Completed an agreement and study with FPL and major cruise line partners to design a substation to provide electric shore power connecting ships to land-side electricity grids, cutting fuel use in the port to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and air pollution.
Broke its 2005 record for energy volumes with a total just shy of 130 million barrels of petroleum products in FY2023, which is roughly 950,000 barrels or 40 million gallons higher than the 2005 volumes.
Will host 28% more passengers for a total of 3.7 million passengers sailing aboard 10 cruise lines, 42 different cruise ships and the Baleária Caribbean ferry during cruise season FY2024.
Construction is set to begin on a two-lane County-funded Bypass Road that will connect US 1/Federal Highway and west SR 84/Spangler to terminate on SE 17th Street at the Convention Center/Hotel. Expected completion is end of 2025.
Privately constructed warehouses, 371,607 square feet, will be completed in early 2024, situated adjacent to Port Everglades.
Received $32 million State of Florida Resilient Florida Infrastructure Grant to mitigate environmental threats from flooding and sea level rise.
Awarded $19 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation under the Port Infrastructure Development Program to replace approximately 1,650 linear feet of bulkheads (seawalls) in Midport.
Port Security Grant Program allocated $1,170,810 to Port Everglades to help protect critical port infrastructure from terrorism, enhance maritime domain awareness, and improve port-wide maritime security risk management.

Learn more at PortEverglades.net.

Visit Lauderdale

Experienced increases in all tourism metrics. Occupancy was up one percent over FY2022; Average Daily Rate up 6 percent; Revenue Per Available Room (RevPar) up 7 percent; Demand (Rooms Sold) up 2 percent; and reported Hotel Revenue up 8 percent. Tourist Development Tax (TDT) collections were more than $126 million, up 2 percent over FY2022, a new record.
Events at the Broward County Convention Center increased 95 percent (119) over FY2022.
Construction continues on the $1.3 billion Broward County Convention Center expansion and new headquarters hotel project, including an eastside expansion with a 65,000-square-foot waterfront ballroom, an interconnecting 800-room upscale Omni headquarters hotel and Convention Center/Visitors Bureau offices and plaza. Full completion expected late 2025.
Collaborated with Dania Beach on its first citywide paid media business participation program. Produced :30 advertisement featured on digital media platforms, streaming video, print and digital outdoor billboards reaching more than 4 million impressions.
Overhauled the Dine Out Lauderdale Restaurant Month program and had more than 120 restaurants participated, the most the program has ever had. Due to popular demand, the program was extended for an additional month.
Held the very first Pride of the Americas, a three-day festival drawing visitors from around the world.

Learn more at VisitLauderdale.com.

Office of Economic & Small Business Development

Held the Florida International Trade and Cultural Expo (FITCE) at the Broward County Convention Center with high-level government leaders, international trade experts and delegations representing more than 74 countries, national agencies and businesses. FITCE is Florida's #1 international trade and commerce expo.
Monitored 480 projects with a total award amount of $6.2 billion, 316 of which have County Business Enterprise (CBE) Goals with a total award amount of $4.9 billion, averaging 31 percent CBE participation commitment. Of the 480 projects, 72 of them were county and municipal surtax-funded projects.
Approved 213 new certifications for County Business Enterprise/Small Business Enterprise (CBE/SBE) firms under the local small business program, and 12 new certifications under the federal Disadvantaged Business Enterprise/Airport Concessions Disadvantaged business Enterprise (DBE/ACDBE) small business programs. There are currently 1,262 firms certified under these programs – 850 are certified CBE/SBE firms and 412 are certified DBE/ACDBE firms.
The Broward County Film Commission's Film & TV Incentive Program, launched in June 2022, has contracted with 12 projects to date with combined budgets of more than $8.5 million dollars.
The Special Projects Program was launched in April 2023 to attract long-term, high-impact film and TV projects.
With new programs including the Multiple Project Guarantee, Partial Project Program, TV Commercial Attraction and Emerging Filmmakers Grant, Broward County will have the most diverse set of local incentive options in the state.
Launched new user-friendly, innovative website filmlauderdale.org with information for one-stop film permitting, locations, incentive programs, grants, local film festivals, studios, associations, unions, production directories, news/media and more.
Issued 703 film permits (8% increase from FY22), recorded budget expenditures totaled $165.5 million (20% increase from FY2022), creating more than 10,120 jobs for cast and crew.

Learn more at Broward.org/EconDev and Broward.org/Film.

Public Works Department: Construction Management Division

Continues to champion sustainable, resilient buildings and campuses that serve the public need, reduce our carbon footprint, are long-lasting as well as enhance the experience of visiting, working within or interacting with Broward County Government.
Currently managing approximately $2.2 billion worth of existing, underway new or planned capital projects. In FY2023, managed approximately 108 projects with completion of 22 projects. With new projects added in FY2024, there are 100 active projects.
Major projects completed:

New Nancy J. Cotterman Center
Broward County Convention Center West Expansion
Main Jail Judges Bench First Appearance Courtroom
Broward County Judicial Complex:

North Wing 1st & 2nd Floor Clerk of Courts Felony Unit Relocation
North & East Wing Generator & Switchgear Replacements
East Wing Enabling Projects

Received grant for the environmental remediation of the former Forensic Science Center for $400,000, allowing for future land development, including possible workforce housing.

Learn more at Broward.org/PublicWorks.

Real Property and Real Estate Development

Acquired or has under contract to purchase:

The State's Gore Building and property, approximately 4.4 acres, located at 201 W. Broward Blvd, which may be used for the new Broward County Government Center in Fort Lauderdale or other County Government use.
Approximately 8.7 acres located at 2000 W. Commercial Blvd., that is planned to be the site for the new forensic science center.
The Motel 6 hotel and property, approximately 5.2 acres in Pompano Beach, which the land will be used for Affordable Housing.
Approximately 7.9 acres located off Gulf Stream Way, adjacent to the Bass Pro Shop in Dania Beach, which is planned for either Transit maintenance facility and bus parking or a marshaling yard for the Convention Center.