Manatee County buys land for Lakewood Ranch government services hub

Manatee County commissioners today approved the $4.6 million purchase of 75 acres north of Premier Sports Campus, in Lakewood Ranch, for a future hub for governments services and parks and recreation offerings.

Manatee County in December purchased the 127-acre Premier Sports Campus and the 36 acres north. The new property is 75 acres north of the those properties, east of the future Post Boulevard extension and south of the future Rangeland Parkway extension.

County officials will master plan the overall site over the next year, but Parks and Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker said there will be a library, tennis and pickleball courts, an aquatics center and county services buildings, such as for permitting, veterans services or other needs to be determined.

“This is a big deal for the county,” Commissioner Betsy Benac said. “This is going to be a real community center. I hope when we get into the master planning, that we look into the possibility of commercial opportunities. As I look at this very large acreage, we need to think outside the box of just government facilities.”

“I think it’s great we have the impact fees to do this,” she said.