Big Day for NAVFAC SE and Escambia County Tomorrow

Today will be a huge day for Escambia County and the US Navy.  Later this morning, the last flight will take off from OLF 8 and shortly thereafter property deeds will be transferred between Escambia County and the US Government--and OLF 8 in Beulah will officially belong to Escambia County.

Tomorrow will be a huge day for Whiting Field and Naval Aviation in the Southeast though---as NAVFAC SE dignitaries and officials from NAS Whiting Field will take possession of OLF X in a ceremony at 0900 tomorrow morning at what will be their newly constructed field in Santa Rosa County.

Escambia County purchased, cleared, and constructed this new Navy facility in Santa Rosa County (Outlying Landing Field X) to the most recent DoD guidelines and specifications at a cost of nearly $17.5 Million Dollars.

In exchange for this, we will be given 636 acre site in Escambia County's Beulah community today.

Deputy County Administrator Matt Coughlin (a retired Navy Captain and former Commanding Officer of NAS Whiting) will represent the county at tomorrow's ceremony where he will present Navy dignitaries with the below "Key to the Field."  It will be a great day for them all!

This plaque will be presented to Navy Officials at tomorrow's ceremony at OLF X in Santa Rosa County

Although we (Escambia County) paid a lot for this property--recent appraisals peg the value of our soon-to-be acquired property in Beulah at between $46K and $51K per acre.  This means this huge field could be worth as much as $32 Million in the current red-hot real estate market in this booming community.  This means Escambia County taxpayers will be taking possession of an asset that is valued as much as $14.5 Million over the cost of acquisition---on day one!

Yes, this is a big deal for Escambia County today too--and tomorrow will be huge for the US Navy!

Win-Win