In 2005, the City of Haines City sought to bring new industry and create jobs right in their own backyard. A large area of industrial-zoned land in Haines City presented a unique opportunity to expand and develop already existing infrastructure. Partnering with CSX, a leading supplier of rail-based freight transportation in North America, the city invested in building a new a rail spur. The rail spur now connects Industrial Park Haines City, FL to the main CSX line providing access to a larger transportation network.

The Haines City Economic Development Council (Haines City EDC) works closely with CSX in their partnership on the recruitment of rail served business to Haines City, Florida.  Our goal is to continue the growth of freight railroads on the rail network that connects businesses to the global supply chain.

Advocating and educating for the growth and expansion of railways in and around Haines City is important to the long-term economic infrastructure for Central Florida. Cyndi Jantomaso, Haines City EDC President, believes that “Rail access is a unique feature and added recruitment tool for businesses to come to Haines City.” Partnering with other organizations such as GoRail we are able to educate community leaders about the benefits of freight rail investments and building stronger rail networks.

Learn more about other rail developments:

The Haines City Economic Development Council stays up to date on the passenger rail discussions relating to SunRail’s Phase 2 expansion. There are significant hurdles to the extension of SunRail in Polk County, however, the 2035 Polk County Mobility Vision Plan envisions extending SunRail into Polk County. Stay in the loop: http://sunrail.com/

The newest people mover the Haines City Economic Development Council is following is with Hyperloop Transportation Technologies. The private operator of the high-speed rail system moving forward with their own Orlando-to-Miami Hyperloop proposal. Stay in the loop: https://hyperloop-one.com/

The Haines City Economic Development Council is spearheading conversation for the future development of a new north/south connector road. The Infrastructure Advisory & Stakeholder Committee hopes to improve road infrastructure and accessibility to Northeast Polk County and Central Florida.

Please contact Cyndi Jantomaso at 863-422-2525 or email cyndi@hainescityedc.com for more information.

Last Thursday Haines City Commissioner Horace West was sworn in for another term. Horace West has been a long-standing member of the Haines City Commision since 2001. Joined by his aunts and proud mother as both of her sons were honored last week. Horace’s brother Morris West became mayor of Haines City as well. Thank you for the continued service of these community leaders!  

Read more about Horace West and Morris West

HAINES CITY, FL – City Manager Deric C. Feacher is pleased to announce Jeffrey E. Brown as the next Deputy City Manager for Haines City. Jeff is an accomplished administrator with more than twenty years of municipal government experience, most recently serving as City Manager of Panama City.

Brown is a member of the International City/County Management Association (ICCMA) and the Florida City/County Management Association (FCCMA). He has served in various roles throughout Polk County during his professional career with organizations such as City Manager for the City of Frostproof, Assistant to the City Manager for the City of Auburndale and a Planner for the Polk County Board of County Commissioners.

“I am extremely pleased we were able to secure his service as we continue to move Haines City Forward,” said City Manager Feacher.

Jeffrey E. Brown obtained his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Florida and a Master’s from the University of South Florida. Brown’s start date is set for Monday, May 7, 2018 with a salary of $110,000.

About Haines City

Incorporated in 1914, Haines City is nestled in the “Heart of Florida” and is home to more than 23,000 year-round and approximately 48,000 seasonal residents during winter tourist season. Haines City was ranked the number one location for “vacation home deals” and “golf nuts” by CNN Money, second in Florida for cost of living by onlyinyourstate.com, third in the nation for the “Most Affordable Snowbird Destinations” by tripping.com, and third out of the “5 Best Places to Picnic in Polk [County]” by The Ledger. The City set a Guinness World Record for the most sparklers lit simultaneously and is home to the world-class IRONMAN 70.3 Florida, Thunder on the Ridge Fourth of July celebration, Southern Dunes Golf, and Country Club, and located just outside of Orlando’s major theme parks. We found our heartbeat in the “Heart of Florida”…come find yours.

Tuesday, April 10, 2018 – In conjunction with City of Haines City the Haines City Economic Development Council hosted the 3rd Annual Haines City Economic Summit yesterday. The hot topic of the summit was the growing need for more road infrastructure and alternative methods of transportation. Foward thinking and a high-level conversation took place surrounding repurposing railroads for new shipping methods and the shaping of our national economy. For more highlights read The Ledgers feature on the 2018 Economic Summit

We thank all the guests that joined us for this great conversation and networking opportunity!

Special thank you to all our speaker & panelists!

• Speaker: Joseph T. Keating, Chief Investment Officer, Executive Vice President and Head of Wealth Management for CenterState Bank 
• Panelist: Aubrey Brown, Manager of Industrial Development, CSX Transportation 
• Panelist: Keith Robbins, District Freight Coordinator, FDOT District 1 
• Panelist: Joseph J. Viscusco, Senior Vice President and Director of Strategic Growth at Pennoni 

January 30, 2018 – Haines City Economic Development Council (HCEDC) announces the appointment of a new member to the Board of Directors, Tracy Porter, Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Executive Director, Foundation at Polk State College.

“We are excited to welcome another strong leader to join our Board of Directors,” said Cyndi Jantomaso, President of HCEDC, “Tracy’s commitment to the growth of Polk County and experience in business development makes her a great fit.”

Tracy Porter 

A native-born Floridian, she was raised in Ft. Lauderdale and settled in Polk County about 12 years ago.  She has her Associates from Broward College, Bachelors from Nova Southeastern, Masters from the University of Phoenix and is completing her doctoral studies at Capella University.  She has been Polk State College’s Vice President of Institutional Advancement and the Executive Director of its Foundation since she arrived in 2006.  During her tenure, she has worked with the Foundation Board of Directors and professional team to raise more than $40 million, which has doubled the Foundation’s assets to over $30 million, plus an additional $15 million for the Clear Springs Advanced Technology Center.  She has been a professional fundraiser for 27 years, raising more than $65 million to benefit education, health care and the arts.

Haines City Economic Development Council congratulates our President Cyndi Jantomaso, who was recently voted as Board of Trustee for Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center. We are excited to continue our longtime partnership with the hospital and work together in another capacity!

About Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center
Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center, a 193-bed acute care facility, believes in providing quality, compassionate health care to the communities it serves. Heart of Florida is an accredited hospital by the Joint Commission and an accredited Chest Pain Center by the Society for Cardiovascular Patient Care. These distinctions mean that Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center puts quality health care front and center. To learn more about visit: www.HeartOfFlorida.com