Plans for a massive new cruise ship port next to Rattlesnake Key in Manatee County are taking shape. On Friday, Slip Knott LLC revealed its proposal for a terminal designed to handle the newest, biggest cruise ships, those so tall they can’t pass under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
They’re eyeing a 300-acre plot called the Knott-Cowen tract, right on the seaward side of the bridge. Slip Knott LLC, which serves as the holding company for Tampa Bay Real Estate Investment Corporation, bought both Rattlesnake Key and the Knott-Cowen tract last December, dropping $18 million on the deal.
To pull this off, Slip Knott joined forces with SSA Marine, a major name in cruise terminal operations across North America. SSA Marine already manages cruise and cargo business at every big Florida port — Tampa Bay, Canaveral, Miami, Everglades, and Jacksonville. Now, they want to bring that expertise to Manatee County.
The pitch? Economic growth. Slip Knott claims the port would bring in visitors, boost small businesses, and create jobs across everything from hotels and restaurants to shipping and maritime services. They estimate construction alone creates over 31,000 jobs statewide, with labor earnings jumping by about $1.6 billion.
Why now? The cruise industry is booming. AAA expects 21.7 million Americans to cruise next year, up nearly 5% from this year. Tampa’s numbers reflect that growth: 368 ships brought 1.5 million passengers in 2025, a 35% jump over the year before.
But Tampa’s port can only do so much. The Skyway Bridge gives ships about 180 feet of clearance, and the latest mega-ships are simply too tall. Cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, MSC, Carnival, and Norwegian keep building bigger and bigger vessels. Norwegian’s Aqua, which launched from Port Canaveral last April, stretches over 1,000 feet and carries 3,600 passengers across 20 decks.
AAA says these megaships are especially popular in the Caribbean, but you’ll also find them sailing the Mediterranean and northern Europe. A Gulf Coast port for these giants would give travelers more cruise options, more departure dates, and more destinations. It also means more competition among cruise lines, which can push prices down. Plus, customers in west Florida wouldn’t have to travel all the way to Miami or Port Canaveral to board a megaship.
Of course, not everyone is cheering. Slip Knott says they’ll leave the 710-acre Rattlesnake Key untouched, keeping it as protected habitat. “There will be no commercial development or construction on Rattlesnake Key,” their website promises. The idea is to safeguard its wetlands and wildlife for good.
