On Thursday, February 29, 2024, the Blueprint Intergovernmental Board (IA) will evaluate a$15 million funding request submitted to the IA at their September 21, 2023 meeting by Florida A&M University (FAMU) for the Bragg Memorial Stadium Renaissance Project.
The staff analysis of the request provides a budgetary evaluation of the funding request, information on the stadium improvements as submitted by FAMU, and an update on the prior allocation of $10 million from the Office of Economic Vitality for Bragg Stadium improvements.
Staff notes that if the project is added, it is anticipated that there will be insufficient funds to complete all projects. Based on projected sales surtax revenues and cost estimates for approved projects, Blueprint does not recommend providing funding for this new project request.
Should the IA Board direct Infrastructure funding for improvements to Bragg Memorial Stadium, the agenda describes the substantial amendment process required to create a new Blueprint Infrastructure project, as well as the corresponding necessity to identify reduction of funding from one or more existing projects to fund this new project.
The Project
At the September 21, 2023 IA Board meeting, FAMU President Larry Robinson submitted a $15 million funding request for Bragg Memorial Stadium Renaissance Project, Phase 3 improvements. Phase 1 included improvements to the east stands, and Phase 2 included improvements to the west stands. Portions of Phases 1 and 2 have been completed with Blueprint economic development funding allocated by the IA Board in 2020.
Although not all Phase 1 and 2 improvements were completed by FAMU, the $10 million approved by the IA Board was fully allocated to FAMU consistent with the terms of the 2020 MOU for approved improvements and expenditures.
Phase 3 improvements will specifically “enhance health and safety aspects” of Bragg Memorial Stadium, including new and renovated bathrooms (Phase 1 included only renovated bathrooms), concession areas, lighting, and an elevator project. While initially anticipated to fully cover the cost of Phases 1, 2, and 3 with FAMU funds plus the $10,000,000 from OEV, FAMU has indicated that due to increased construction costs for Phases 1 and 2, they now do not have the funds available to make the Phase 3 improvements.
The prioritized list of Phase 3 improvements with estimated costs is included in Table 1.
Blueprint to Consider $15 Million for Bragg Memorial Stadium Project added by Staff on
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They had money for an unnecessary FSU stadium improvements (thanks to boosters paying off commissioners)… and $1.8 million of free money for a whiskey distillery for a Tallahassee Insider that happens to facilitate lots of money to commissioner’s campaigns…
Then a developer is let off the hook for building promised affordable housing in Canopy… happens to be a developer that lines commissioners pockets as well.
See a pattern here?
I see a pattern here…
I cannot get out of Leon County fast enough. 42 million for two football fields with all the problems this city has…
The people running this quagmire are criminals. I am starting to believe they created the CSC as a diversion of our ire so they could more easily pull off this kind of galatically stupid stuff. By all means, give FAMU 17 million dollars for their little shooting gallery on the south side. Unbelievable!
You know who spends their way to “insufficient funds”? Stupid people without the sense god gave a sack of hammers!
Blueprint does not recommend providing funding for this new project request because they say it will drain their account for other Projects they have in the works. They had no problem draining the account for $27 Million for 21 VIP Seats at Doak. I think BP needs to be Re-Structured and put people in place that knows how to Prioritize their Budget. HELP FAMU.