Soon every single resident and visitor to Manatee County could be able to enjoy a privately owned section of land along the Sarasota Bay in Southwest Bradenton.

Developer Carlos Beruff and his partners are proposing to build a high end resort and shopping plaza on more than 460-acres of undeveloped land.

Soon every single resident and visitor to Manatee County could be able to enjoy a privately owned section of land along the Sarasota Bay in southwest Bradenton.

Developer Carlos Beruff and his partners are proposing to build a high end resort and shopping plaza on more than 460-acres of undeveloped land.

It’s called the Long Bar Pointe project and would include a 5-star hotel, restaurants, shopping, conference center, housing and more.

“You’re opening up thousands of feet of bay front for the benefit of the public to have access to,” said Beruff.

To move forward, Beruff needs to get county commissioners to amend the county’s comprehensive plan to allow such a project.

Developers also need to win over residents who are against it.

“I’ve never had one request to go see a high rise hotel or marina,” said Charter Captain Kathe Fannon, who takes visitors on sightseeing tours of the bay.  “People who come to this area, Manatee County area, come to see old Florida because there is no old Florida left.”

Fannon said she’s worried the projects would damage the wetlands m sea grass, along with the wildlife and sealife in the area.

“There’s snook, redfish, trout, mangrove snapper, flounder, blue crab, stone crabs, everything you can possibly want right here, “said Fannon.  “When you dredge that and take away the mangroves than there’s nowhere for them to live.  It just destroys the whole bay.”

Beruff disagrees and said they are planning an environmentally friendly project.

“We can absolutely make it a better condition than what exists there today,” said Beruff.

He promises to clean the polluted bay, add more mangroves and be careful with the seagrass. He said instead of turning into another private boring subdivision, this would be a place for everyone to enjoy, for generations to come.

Developers plan to meet with county commissioners on August 6th.

If approved, this would allow them to apply for a permit to move forward.

If you’d like to learn more about this project and talk to the developers, they are holding a question and answer session on Friday, July 19th at 5 p.m. at the IMG Academy Golf Club in Bradenton.