Dredging of Dania Cut Off Canal Spurs Economic Growth to Dania Beach and Broward County
By Walter Duke, Commissioner of Dania Beach
The marine industry business sector is one of the top economic sectors in Broward County currently generating an economic output of $4.4 billion per year, $975 million in wages, 21,111 jobs and $178.3 million in taxes (per FIND’s Economic Update of the Economic Impacts of the District’s Waterways 2011, GEC, Inc.). With numerous boatyards, marinas and marine related industry, Dania Beach is truly a marine city. Recently the city invested nearly $1,000,000 to fund their share of the overall cost to dredge the Dania Cutoff Canal. Many people have asked me about the impacts of the Dania Cutoff Canal (DCC) deepening project on our local economy. I will get to that but first some information about the project itself. The total construction cost low bid for the DCC deepening project was just over $6.3 million. The Florida Inland Navigation District Waterways Assistance Program funded 75% of the cost of the project while the local 25% share of the cost will be shared equally between the County and City of Dania Beach. The project was completed in late March.