Central Florida Development Council Let’s talk
POLK COUNTY, FLORIDAA PLACE TO PUT YOUR PLANS TO WORK

FLORIDA within REACH.

An original illustrated composite of Polk County’s research architecture, mobility testing, manufacturing, air cargo and rail infrastructure.
SEPARATE PLACES. ONE WORKING REGION.

Room to build.
People to move it forward.

Sites, talent and local partners for your next operation or your next stage of growth.
YOUR NEXT MOVELocate in PolkPut a new operation on the map. ALREADY HERE?Expand in PolkMake room for what comes next.

Operations
already here.

PublixHeadquartersLakeland AmazonAir operationsLakeland Nucor Steel FloridaSteel productionFrostproof GMF Steel GroupSteel fabricationLakeland IFFCitrus innovationFlorida Poly campus
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE. PRACTICAL PROGRESS.CFDC / AT YOUR SIDE

A project on paper.
Answers on the ground.

A good location is the beginning.
CFDC helps you work through the questions that make it right for your business.

LOCATING IN POLK

Bring your operating requirements.
We’ll help you find the people who can answer them.

Site & utilities

What power, water and access will your operation need?

Property owners + utility providers

People & skills

Which roles and training are critical to your opening?

Workforce + education partners

Local coordination

Who needs to be involved before you commit?

Municipal teams + community partners
Explore sites & buildings Talk through your requirements
INVESTREADY POLK

A closer look. Earlier.

Access. Utilities. Development constraints.
Explore the site factors behind a better-informed decision.
LOCAL COORDINATION / 2019

Nucor chose
Frostproof.

Read the Nucor story
NUCOR STEEL FLORIDAFROSTPROOF / REPORTED 2019

For Nucor’s Frostproof site, CFDC worked with Duke Energy and local partners on land, rail, natural gas and power requirements.

A place becomes a possibility
when the right people work together.

ROOTED HERE. REACHING FURTHER.RESEARCH / PRODUCT CREATION

FROM CITRUS
TO SCIENCE.

Original engraved illustration of a cut Florida orange alongside a sample vial and laboratory instrument.
IFF × FLORIDA POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY

What grows here
goes further.

At IFF’s Citrus Innovation Center, botanical research, processing and product creation bring new possibilities to a defining Florida industry.
Meet the Citrus Innovation Center 30,000 sq ft · Opened April 2025
Source: IFF, April 9, 2025
AN ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATION OF CITRUS RESEARCH
GOOD PLANS START WITH A CONVERSATION.(863) 937-4430

What’s your
next move?

Sean Malott, President and CEO of the Central Florida Development Council.
Sean MalottPresident & CEO

Tell Sean what your business needs next. A new location, room to expand or the right local connection.

sean@cfdc.org Call Sean · (863) 937-4430
Prefer to gather your thoughts first?
PROGRESS WITH PURPOSE

Growing an economy of high-skill, high-wage, sustainable businesses and the opportunities they create for Polk County.

THE INDUSTRY VIEW

Explore your fit.

01 / 08

ESTABLISHED PRODUCTION

Advanced manufacturing

Nucor’s rebar mill and GMF’s steel fabrication demonstrate existing production. Explore the sites, technical skills and resources needed for an expansion or new operation.

Explore this industry

Practical questions.

Where is Polk County?

Polk County sits between Tampa and Orlando in Central Florida. Its communities include Lakeland, Winter Haven, Bartow, Haines City, Lake Wales and Frostproof.

Does an evaluated site meet every project’s requirements?

InvestReady Polk evaluates location, size, access, utilities and development constraints. A project’s suitability, capacity, approvals and timing still need to be confirmed with the relevant owners and providers. About InvestReady Polk

Can CFDC help an existing Polk employer?

Yes. Contact CFDC to discuss expansion, property, workforce or partner needs. Recruitment and training resources include support for employers already operating here. Workforce recruitment and training

What happens to my project brief?

You can download the brief or open a draft in your email app to review. Nothing is submitted by this page. You choose when to send the email.

Data & researchCFDC’s partnersInvestor informationLatest news

POLK COUNTY · FLORIDA

THE POLK NETWORK

A connected region.

Explore the region’s transport, research and workforce assets.

CENTRAL FLORIDAN ↑
Polk County in Central FloridaReal county boundaries showing Polk between the Tampa and Orlando regions. Markers show four Polk airports, two regional international airports, two port terminals, Florida Polytechnic University and SunTrax. Connection lines are schematic, not roads or routes.Polk CountyOsceola CountyLake CountyPasco CountySumter CountyDeSoto CountyHardee CountyOrange CountyHillsborough CountyBrevard CountyHighlands CountyPOLKOSCEOLALAKEPASCOSUMTERHARDEEBREVARDHIGHLANDSOrlando International AirportMCOTampa International AirportTPAPort CanaveralPORT CANAVERALPort Tampa Bay - Hookers PointHOOKERS POINTLake Wales Municipal AirportX07Bartow Executive AirportBOWLakeland Linder International AirportLALWinter Haven Regional AirportGIFFlorida Polytechnic UniversityFLORIDA POLYSunTraxSUNTRAXTampa regionOrlando region
Polk County Regional assets

County boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau, January 2026. Connection lines are schematic.

Map sources & dates

County boundaries use Census TIGERweb’s January 2026 vintage. Airport and port points use FDOT and UF GeoPlan planning datasets dated 2016 to 2020; current local airport names were checked against CFDC’s published listings in October 2026. Florida Poly uses its published map. SunTrax uses a 2024 on-campus FDOT survey station. Facility markers provide general orientation.

View source references

EXPLORE YOUR ADVANTAGE

04COUNTY AIRPORTS

Connected from every direction.

Four local airports. Regional rail. Access to Florida’s seaports. And I-4 linking Polk County with Tampa and Orlando.

  • Lakeland Linder International Airport
  • Bartow, Winter Haven, and Lake Wales airports
  • Regional highway, rail, and port connections
Explore the infrastructure
Find your location in Polk County

Polk County Spotlight.

A film by Central Florida Development Council.

YOUR PROJECT, IN FOCUS

Build a project brief.

01 THE VISION02 THE NEEDS03 YOUR BRIEF

Start with the big picture.

Your entries stay on this page.