This is an incredibly generous offer and I believe it will lead to the beginning of the effort to bring a field house type project to Downtown Pensacola.
My hope is that this initiative can be married with a project to renovate and modernize the Bay Center--as I'm not sure doing one without doing the other simulatneously is the best way forward.
I look forward, however, to having a conversation with my counterparts on the board and with community leaders and the folks from PADP so that together we can come up with the winning project for Pensacola and Escambia County.
Meanwhile--the formal, written offer of land donation for this specified purpose is extremely generous ------and it is very much appreciated!
2 comments:
Thank you for your Blog!!!!
Yes, it looks great. Awesome offer. I hate to be Mr.Downer in this, but here’s a reality check.
1. Infrastructure. There are not enough roads to move people in and out of events. The roads there are mostly residential. Be prepared to ‘one way’ and widen A, Coyle & Devillers, and Main Street to FOUR lanes west to Barrancas.
Might as well widen government and Intendencia Streets forecast downtown trolley service as well. That’s a few million dollars, and if Roads, Inc does the work, 4-5 years.
Need 18 wheeler access to move equipment in for events and trade shows.
2. The property is covered in two sides with peoples houses.
3. There’s far more than a field house. The Patel proposal calls for a parking structure, and at least one and preferably two attached hotels, plus retail and restaurants to keep the building “alive” when events aren’t in progress.
4. Any way to keep the architectural review board out of this? And the DIB? They have a propensity to screw things up.
5. Does Visit Pensacola have the sales staff to sell this facility? Not just volleyball and cheerleader competition. Trade shows, symposiums, small conventions...they. Need a FIVE year lead time on booking events.
Do I want bigger and better stuff for Pensacola/Escambia? Absolutely.
Does the city need to commit to making this happen? Under the current mayor and council, not so much... maybe the new guys will get off the dime.
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