The county with the highest unemployment rate in North Central Florida is going back to nature to grow new jobs, 400 of them.
If Project Tulip is approved, the City of Ocala would welcome it's largest facility yet, at over 6 million square feet.
American Fresh Farms, LLC is proposing to build a massive project on 120 acres of land at the Ocala International Airport, bordering the industrial 67th Avenue.
Project Tulip would involve four huge state-of-the-art greenhouses, growing several kinds of tomatoes without any soil. Nutrients would be carried through water, all while using over 80 percent less H2O than traditional tomato crops.
The project would create about 400 permanent jobs as horticulturists and business professionals, as well as spin off jobs thanks to supporting businesses. It would also generate about $3 million dollars in revenue for the airport. American Farms would invest between $112 and $155 million dollars- which would be the single largest investment ever planted in the City of Ocala. The City Council will review the final agreement with American Farms before giving the final approval next Tuesday.