ST. LUCIE COUNTY — In less than two weeks, the County Commission is to decide whether the future of the Port of Fort Pierce lies with NFL star Khalil Mack or with the largest mega-yacht shipyard in South Florida.

The commission is to meet 2 p.m. Oct. 2 to discuss proposals from Derecktor Holdings Inc. — which operates shipyards in Fort Lauderdale, New York and Maine — and Ft. Pierce Yacht & Ship, whose investors are Mack, Fort Lauderdale businessman Buddy Haack and Treasure Coast auto-dealership owner Sandy Woods.

Turning the dormant 290-acre port into a mega-yacht repair center is a key component in the county and Fort Pierce’s economic-development plan to bring jobs to the northwest part of the city. The company chosen would be responsible for leasing the property from the county, operating the repair center and buying and installing lifts and other equipment.

Consultants Fishkind & Associates of Orlando estimates a working port would create up to 900 skilled-trades jobs. In January, the county closed on the 12.3-acre Indian River Marine Terminal property for $25 million, giving it more control of development at the port.

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The commission Thursday heard closed-door presentations from Derecktor and Fort Pierce Yacht & Ship. Mack, a defensive end for the Chicago Bears, was not in attendance on Thursday.

The audio recordings of each bidder and their proposals will be released to the public on Monday, County Attorney Dan McIntyre said.

On Sept. 13, a ranking committee — comprising deputy county administrators Mark Satterlee and Jeff Bremer; Fort Pierce City Manager Nick Mimms; Mary Chapman, member of the Port of Fort Pierce Advisory Committee; and Andrew Treadwell, executive assistant to the president at Indian River State College — ranked the bidders based on their experience, finances, business plans, project concepts and marketing plans.

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Each committee member ranked Derecktor No. 1 for experience and for financial and marketing plans, according to the county.

The companies scored equally for their business plans and project concepts.

Derecktor overall scored better than Ft. Pierce Yacht to win the No. 1 ranking, according to county records.

The commission allowed public comment following announcement of the ranking, and most speakers supported Ft. Pierce Yacht.

"When you hire someone who is already in your area, they have more of a connection and they care more about what happens and how things are done than anybody else who is going to come in and go away to their home," Fort Pierce resident Marjorie Harrell said.

Both state Rep. Larry Lee Jr., D- Port St. Lucie, and Sheriff Ken Mascara asked the commission to honor Ft. Pierce Yacht's connection to the local community by awarding it the bid.

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"We have an opportunity right here, right now to let this young man (Mack) become an ambassador for Fort Pierce and St. Lucie County," Lee said.

Reviving the port, Mascara said, would help lower the county crime rate because the community would have good, quality jobs.

“When I walk through the jail, I ask, them, 'Why are you here? Why did you end up here?' And they tell me, 'I couldn’t find any work to provide for me and my family,'” Mascara said. “If we can get great, quality jobs to one of the most economically depressed areas in the county, this will change the atmosphere of the community.”