The Daily Dig:
On January 21, 2026, the School District of Manatee County broke ground on "AAA High School", its eighth high school. The $144 million campus sits on 85 acres at Rangeland Parkway and Post Boulevard in Lakewood Ranch, across from Premier Sports Campus. Capital funds are covering it.
The design reuses Parrish Community High School's plan, minus Buildings 6 and 8, those are held for future expansion. The school opens August 2027 with 9th and 10th grade, adds 11th in 2028 and 12th in 2029. It's meant to pull enrollment off Lakewood Ranch High, Braden River High, and Parrish Community High.
Project Snapshot:
Owner / Developer: School District of Manatee County
Sector: K-12 Education
Value / GMP: $144,000,000
Location: Lakewood Ranch, Florida (Rangeland Parkway & Post Boulevard)
Site: Approximately 85 acres; across from Premier Sports Campus
Design: Modified reuse of Parrish Community High School; Buildings 6 and 8 excluded for future expansion
Timeline / Status: Groundbreaking January 21, 2026; opening planned August 2027 (grades 9ā10)
Design Team: Schenkel Shultz (architect)
General Contractor / CM: Gilbane Building Company (construction manager)
TheJobWalk Thoughts:
Buildings 6 and 8 are already called out but not bid, that's follow on work sitting in plain sight. If you're positioned right, you're not hunting for scope in three years, you're already the incumbent. The program mix matters: turf, track, auditorium, gym. Those don't buy out together, and they don't share lead times. If you're working subs or suppliers, the play is getting in front of Gilbane before the August 2027 opening starts compressing schedules and a few hundred freshmen show up expecting lights that work.
