Bradenton action plan seeks to galvanize the city's economy and livability

Having worked in Bradenton for decades, I’ve long thought that our great small city has incredible potential. I have seen the exciting changes and investments that have made the city more livable for residents and more attractive to businesses. And I have strongly believed that we need to keep the momentum going, to engage in meaningful discussions and support city government in shaping Bradenton’s future as a vibrant, friendly and authentic jewel in a beautiful natural setting.

I’m excited to share that those conversations, along with private and public sector investments in Bradenton over the past five years, have set the stage for the first city-wide action plan. It’s the right time to take a hard look at the whole city, identify areas with immediate and future potential for redevelopment and investment and drill down into how to attract  businesses, support the businesses that are here and encourage entrepreneurship, especially in the creative arts sector.

The timing for this effort is right. The City of Bradenton, led by Mayor Gene Brown and the City Council, has made and continues to make substantial targeted investments in public infrastructure and essential services to enhance livability, safety and long-term resiliency.

These investments continue as city government aggressively pursues state and federal funding sources to reduce the burden on city taxpayers. Examples include the new Public Safety Operations Center, a new Bradenton Police headquarters, additional fire stations and extensive utility infrastructure upgrades.

Additionally, the City Park project at LECOM Park will build on the city’s baseball heritage while driving  sports tourism, downtown connectivity and community revitalization. The city intends to stimulate the creation of an entertainment district that brings new energy to the area, supporting local businesses and enhancing quality of life for both residents and visitors.

Bradenton is also experiencing significant private investment. Two major mixed-use

developments, City Centre, surrounding redevelopment, and attainable housing projects, are revitalizing key areas of the urban core. The City Centre project, currently finalizing its master development plan, involves the sale and private redevelopment of the current riverfront City Hall property. This transformational effort will build on the momentum of Bradenton’s magnificent Riverwalk and marina, creating a unique and world-class waterfront district.

Our team at the Bradenton Area Economic Development Corp. will lead creation of the action plan, in close partnership with city government. The EDC will oversee a consulting team with extensive experience in creating community plans for revitalization that protect neighborhoods, galvanize private investment and enhance livability. The consulting team will be led by Dover, Kohl & Partners with economic analysis by Partners for Economic Solutions.

The planning work will include detailed economic and market analyses. The consulting team also will review the city’s comprehensive plan, land development regulations and permitting processes. The consultants will visit Bradenton to speak in person with stakeholders and become familiar with the community’s personality and lifestyle.

At the EDC, we take this responsibility seriously. This is an action plan; not pie in the sky.  We will apply our community knowledge and expertise in managing strategic planning processes to keep the consulting team on task, communicate fully with city government and engage Bradenton area stakeholders throughout the eight-month process.

This plan will connect all the dots to capitalize on investments the city has made and will continue to make. The aim is to attract businesses to the City of Bradenton and to appeal to potential and current employees as a place to live, work and play.

Our goal is to complete the plan by early 2026 with clearly defined action steps and timelines. And we’ve already started. We launched a new website, BradentonCityFL.com, and created a “sizzle” video to establish a brand story for the city. We’re talking with businesses operating in the city and others interested in locating here.

Please visit and share the website, and watch and share the video. Help spread the word about our great small city that has so much potential.