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$90 Million Proposed For Indoor Sports Facility At Ashton Brosnaham Park And Bay Center Upgrades
August 30, 2024
An indoor sports facility costing up to $60 million could be coming to Escambia County’s Ashton Brosnaham Park, and the Pensacola Bay Center could see a $30 million upgrade funding with tourism tax dollars.
Those ideas were pitched to the Tourist Development Council Thursday afternoon, but decisive action was not taken on either item.
Ashton Brosnaham Indoor Sports Facility
A proposal for an indoor sports facility at the county-owned Ashton Brosnaham Park calls for a building that’s 100,000 square foot, including 73,000 square feet of open floor space that would be large enough to host eight basketball courts that could be converted into 16 volleyball courts with support space, or it could be used as large exhibition hall for other types of events.
Other key takeaways on the proposed facility:
- 14 acres of the park is flat, open, undeveloped and already zone for recreation
- 700+ paved parking spaces in the current design
- Primary support for hardwood sports and related events
- Open common areas would include meeting spaces, viewing areas, vendor space, concessions, retail space
- Second floor walking track and viewing area
- Open to the public for recreation, will also host tournaments and events
- Collaboration with Escambia County Public Schools on access and utilization
- Community use of facility on non-tournament dates
- Projected operating deficit offset by ~$37 million in economic impact per year
- Projected new tax revenues of ~$2.7 million per year
- Total project cost range: $48 – $61 million
“It’s a tried and proven location; it doesn’t get any better than the SEC,” Escambia County Parks and Recreation Director Michael Rhodes said The Park has hosted the 2024 SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament and will host it again this year on November 3-10. “We are willing to grow that, and we want to grow that and make that (Ashton Brosnaham Park) the true sports destination in Escambia County. Which we feel it’s already one its way.”
Rhodes said the school district has expressed a willingness to provide property for second roadway into the facility that would also benefit current soccer programs that have 700-800 youth players annually.
“It’s in a growing area in our community,” Rhodes added as he touted Ashton Brosnaham of 10 Mile Road as the perfect location. “This project can be a win-win for everybody…and this is something that will stand the test of time.”
A feasibility study funded by Pensacola Sports came in at 155 pages, but TDC members only saw a 12-page presentation Thursday.
Pensacola Bay Center
A plan to spend $43 million, with $30 million coming from a bond issue by the TDT, was also presented.
The upgrades would modernize the aging facility and add more seating for events like concerts.
What’s next?
TDC member Jim Reeves made motion to approve a $90 million bond issue for the sports facility and Bay Center, but no vote was taken. A substitute motion by council members Mitesh Patel called for special meeting on both proposals.
The Escambia County Tourist Development Council makes recommendations for final decisions by the Board of County Commissioners.
NorthEscambia.com photos/graphics, click to enlarge.
Comments
25 Responses to “$90 Million Proposed For Indoor Sports Facility At Ashton Brosnaham Park And Bay Center Upgrades”
Horrible idea. This is a school and residential area that already has way to much traffic in the area with the Pensacola Soccer fields. Put it somewhere else. How about putting it in some of your neighborhoods!!!!
It would be great to have some indoor pickleball courts and some social areas. I love the idea of an indoor sports facility for our youth but our adults need recreation areas too.
Crazy idea – a large expanse of property is / was owned by Escambia County at what was called OLF 8. Much better use of this property than building houses .
‘park’: Noun. OUTDOOR green space that people can use for recreation.
Brosnaham Park used to be a nice, open, general-use park. Then, soccer fields
and more soccer fields. Recently, the north end was closed off and another building
put up. Now, $60M for an unnecessary indoor facility and parking lot. It’s no longer a ‘park’.
No swimming pool????
How about racquetball courts?
A comprehensive budget includes all needs. The roads can’t be the entire budget, we must invest in other areas to make us a great community. I think this is a good idea to discuss.
..history repeating itself ???,Remember the
Soccer complex issue 20 years ago north of
Car city that was a complete disaster cooked
up with million of dollars on the line..
This is too much money that needs to go to
other more needed access …Pine Forest from I-10
to Pine Forest…10 mile from US29 to Chemstrand…
and Quintet road traffic is only gonna worse with
all the development in Mid Escambia and Santa Rosa…
Seems like widening and extension of Ten Mile Road on the long term horizon. I’d hate to have a residence there. Future extension through the subdivision to UWF??
@SJ
Regardless who must pay for Pine Forest, our county commish should have pushed for widening long before approving all the apartments going up
Massive investment for a facility served by a two lane road through a residential area.
Football stadium in the works at UWF, with need to extend Greenbrier Rd into campus.
Y’all see where this is going, right?
Would this bay center be a community center for indoor athletics? Would there be after school programs or is this going to be a fee to use these services?
WOW with all the things truly needed by the citizens they do this with $90 million. Just imagine how this money could be used that would truly benefit the area. And if you go to a County Commission meeting and even suggest a need a true need what are you told every time.” We don’t have the money for it” . Yet they have money flowing for bs spending. Simply amazes me every time.
JJ..agree
Why this is definitely needed,I’m not sure this is the place. 3 schools an housing would be impacted..not necessarily in a positive way. Not to mention the roads are not equipped for that much traffic. I Believe there are better suited places.
From a tourism and visibility standpoint, seems like it would make more sense to move some of the ball fields, perhaps the adults softball fields and/or football field, from the John R Jones park on 9 Mile Rd and build this facility on that property. You would have much better traffic access and much better opportunity for the public to see this crown jewel of an athletic facility
Economic impact that travel sports brings is big. The facility will pay for itself and then bring in revenue that can have impacts elsewhere that people mention in these comments. Having an indoor facility where adults and children can go is amazing. It will have many uses for sure!
Absolutely brilliant idea!
finally more money being invested in our youth of today and for future generations, this is going to have a monstrous economic impact in a positive way.
Tourist development taxes are used for just that. It’s not used to improve/expand state highways, such as Pine Forest or I-10. Those projects are programmed by the State of Florida with possibly a percentage of local match. Projects are racked and stacked against competing priorities in the region and state.
Tourist ‘development’ is a different pot of money that is limited by Florida Statutes.
Those greedy for tourist $$$$ care little for those affected by their greedy. Open, undeveloped recreational area is necessary, and building on every undeveloped parcel benefits the few and costs the many. Additionally, without major changes to the access, the neighborhood traffic will be a nightmare.
J J,
Pine Forest Road is State Road 297. You should investigate if Escambia County has the authority to make improvements to it before accusing the county of spending money on other projects instead of adding an extra lane going north.
Will the county build a barrier wall for the added noise for the people who live there?
I love this idea! Please can we make sure to make it inclusive for special need children and adults?
Yet another proposed expansion of the soccer complex AND ZERO ROAD ACCESS IMPROVEMENT!
They say the School District will provide land for second road access, but aren’t both the current access and the proposed second road access coming off of the same short stretch of Ten Mile Road, on either side of McArthur Elementary?
It’s been stated many times; there is NO PLAN to widen Ten Mile Road in this area.
Easy for the planners to figure out what to do with the land, spend more money but NONE of them have to live with the fallout of the lack of infrastructure. They can’t even fix the erosion problems on either side of the existing road in this area.
I’m all for the improvements AS LONG AS you can provide at least one alternate ingress/egress road that intersects somewhere other than Ten Mile Road.
REALLY!
$90MILLION AND PINE FOREST NORTH OF I-10 GOES UNTOUCHED. fix PINE FOREST for the thousands that use this dailey!!!!!