MADEIRA BEACH â A high-and-dry boat storage facility at the city marina, which had been touted by the mayor as âa very lucrative opportunityâ for the city, will not be built at the cityâs expense, due to its estimated $30 million cost. Instead, a public-private agreement will be sought, where a private firm would build and manage the high-and-dry and share the cost and revenue with the city.
The decision not to build the high-and-dry as planned came following a presentation on its feasibility at a city commission workshop on June 30, where it was the only topic on the agenda.
At the meeting, Bryan Zarlenga of Cardno, a consulting firm hired to evaluate the feasibility of a high-and-dry facility for the city, gave a detailed report on what it would contain, along with its costs and benefits. It featured a highly automated facility with 200 boat bays and two service bays.