Manatee County to break ground on $40M veterans complex

Manatee County will break ground in January 2026 on a new campus for veterans north of Palmetto. It will be at 5215 Buckeye Road.

The county donated 24 acres and earmarked $4 million to kick off the initiative, according to sister publication YourObserver.com, which reported officials are trying to secure state and federal funding. 

Called Valor Commons, the project is expected to cost $40 million and create a multipurpose campus that combines commemoration, education and community engagement, according to a statement.

“A new chapter in Manatee County’s commitment to our veterans begins with this groundbreaking,” Commissioner Jason Bearden says in the statement. “I think it goes to the valor that our veterans — and those who have gone before us — have shown to protect our great country.”

These features are planned as part of Valor Commons, the statement says:

• Veterans Resource Center, a 12,000-square-foot building that will include a business incubator for veteran entrepreneurs, provide help with navigating benefits and offer caregiver and peer support 
• Memorial and reflection areas with community-designed installations and walking trails
• Public event spaces for ceremonies, gatherings and civic events honoring military service

Currently, the project is in the early stages of design, site configuration and infrastructure planning, according to a statement. As of October, YourObserver.com reported Manatee County had spent $500,000 on the project's design. 

The first phase of development, expected to last a year to a year-and-a-half, will include road access, early memorial elements and installation of a temporary structure to start offering services. Construction will occur in the following three to five years, according to a statement. 

The long-term vision for Valor Commons is to transition the project to nonprofit management “to ensure sustainability and philanthropic growth,” the statement says. “Work is underway to establish a dedicated fund through the Manatee Community Foundation to support private donations.”

The Valor Commons groundbreaking is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14.