During the Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency Board meeting on December 9, 2021, the Board voted to accept the Market Feasibility Assessment and to move forward with creating a master plan for the fairgrounds.
The master plan is a dynamic long-term planning document that provides a conceptual layout to guide future growth and development and will take approximately 12 months to develop.
The Board voted to allocate $200,000 from the Blueprint Reserve Account to develop the master plan.
“If we repurpose some of the property and if we improve those facilities and get really creative on what else we can add into that space. I think it will be a gem that is in the right location,” Commissioner Kristin Dozier added to the conversation. “I am really looking forward to this.”
During the September 17, 2020, meeting, the Board requested a market study be conducted. In addition, Blueprint allocated $12 million for FY2024 for the beautification and improvements to the fairgrounds.
According to the current report, the fairgrounds generate roughly $79.2 million in the local economy, playing an essential role in Tallahassee as a driver of business that supports retail spending and employment.
The land is currently valued at $3.7 million with little interest from private developers. Additionally, with approximately 202,600 visitors annually and the potential utilization of more of the property, the report recommended continuing operations at the current site.
Commissioner Nick Maddox suggested considering a sports complex, as Cox stadium is near the fairgrounds. “I think it would be a perfect opportunity not to use all of it, but some of it may be to explore in the master plan, maybe combining the two projects to see how we can work that out.”
Here we go again… Follow the money.
I too am skeptical of their $79.2 million that they say is the amount added into the economy. They need to show how they came up with that amount and be accountable.
You know we are all happy Commissioner Dozier is really looking forward to this.
With her family connections to local construction and related business’ along with the construction soon to be bid for the fairgrounds project Dozier may be able to work in another fancier house as yet another reward for steering the contracts to certain business.
Remember that sort of thing would only be illegal if somehow a conservative got elected to the Commission and attempted to personally benifit from their elected position.
Go get another fancier house Kristin. Its OK if you do it.
She may already be getting a little something something for steering that master plan contract to a local family pal.
Go Girl.
Between what you said on the radio about voting for Chambered-up insider Dems against outsiders plus all the local gov’t money driving these soft PR puff pieces, a lot of us aren’t going to both reading this stuff anymore. We can get this perspective in Capital Outlook or Talgov.com
@Mike L
Because it’s not their money….
Why did Blueprint allocate 12 million dollars to a project without a masterplan? This is all bass akwards and its not because these people are stupid. It’s all sleight of hand, they say one thing and consistently do another.
I drive past the fairgrounds every day, there is no way on god’s green earth that patch of dirt generates 79.2 million dollars’ worth of revenue for Tallahassee’s economy. You can blow that smoke up someone else’s backside. If your numbers are to be believed, the 202,600 visitors would have each spent $390.00 dollars.
I’ve been to the fairgrounds a few times in the last three years, once was for a hot tub spa sale and the other was a boat show and I didn’t spend a dime or more than an hopur at either one.
Blueprint was built on sleight of hand and that’s how it will continue to operate.
Do we really want the people who are misusing infrastructure funds to move forward with the fairgrounds?
Repurpose the Property East and South of the Gene Cox Stadium for the Sports Complex. Why are you even talking about interest from private developers? There will already be 744 Acres developed for a new crowded Subdivision in the near future just east of there. That Land, where it is located is worth closer to $5 – $6.5 Million.