Coca-Cola Beverages Florida (Coke Florida) held a grand opening for its new distribution center and fleet facility in Tampa over the weekend. The facilities represents an investment of over $300 million by the locally owned company and mark a major milestone of growth in central Florida, it says.

The facilities sit on the company’s 156-acre site and feature a new 800,000-square-foot, fully automated warehouse facility and a 250,000-square-foot state-of-the-art fleet maintenance facility. The new center and facility underscore Coke Florida’s commitment to growth and dedication to local economic development, the company shares. Sustainability also was a core focus in the site’s development, leading to the addition of wetlands, solar stations, trees and apiaries to the property, it adds.

In a statement, Troy Taylor, chairman and CEO of Coke Florida, noted the facility is a culmination of promises made, promises kept.

“We said we were going to be a part of this community forever, and we meant it,” he said. “For us, it’s not just serving the best beverages to our consumers, not just being great partners to our customers, but also being an integral part of the fabric of the community each day.”

Also in a statement Jim Boyce, territory general manager for Coke Florida’s Tampa Bay region, , reflected on what the new facility means for the local team and their customers.

“This new facility equips us to serve our customers more efficiently and to expand our capacity,” he said. “It also presents an incredible opportunity for Coke Florida to upskill its current employee base of the over 400 associates who work here.”

The grand opening celebration brought together Coke leaders, local officials and community members for a ceremonial ribbon cutting and guided tours of the facility. The atmosphere throughout the event was one of pride and excitement, the company shares, as guests celebrated not just the opening of a world-class facility, but what it represents for the future of Coke Florida and the central Florida community. The celebration was especially meaningful as it coincided with Coke Florida’s 10-year anniversary.