Jacksonville Fair, City Hall in talks about move to Cecil

thelakelander · November 09, 2009, 10:40:20 PM

QuoteAfter giving talk about leaving downtown a lukewarm reception for years, Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair officials have signed off on having the city study a possible move to the Westside.

The carrot that likely swung the fair board to consider the move is the opportunity to run the Jacksonville Equestrian Center, now run by the same company that manages Jacksonville Municipal Stadium and other city sports venues.

No formal proposals have been made and negotiations are in the early phases, according to the city and fair board.

Chris Verlander, president of the board, said taking over the equestrian center would certainly make moving more attractive to the fair.

The city has discussed the possibility of having the fair run the facility, but the details are far from being finalized, said Misty Skipper, spokeswoman for Mayor John Peyton.

full article: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-11-09/story/jacksonville_fair_city_hall_in_talks_about_move_to_cecil

Keith-N-Jax · November 09, 2009, 11:12:44 PM

Them wanting to leave downtown, might it have something to do with the Fla/Ga weekend?

thelakelander · November 09, 2009, 11:19:10 PM

Is it a smart thing to relocate something that exposes thousands of people to downtown and the urban core? Seems like better integration with the surrounding area should be more desired than kicking them off to the boonies near Cecil. What is the plan to replace the thousands that are removed?

ac · November 09, 2009, 11:19:49 PM

They damn sure wouldn't have done it for the Jags. I hope it doesn't become just another empty grass lot over there.

I guess getting an investor to build a hotel w/convention space and a parking garage would be a bit of a cluster-effer in that spot, huh?

Maybe the city can leave up part of the exhibit hall and set up a facility to rival Tailgaters'.

thelakelander · November 09, 2009, 11:30:48 PM

There's no market for a convention center hotel in DT. We already have the Hyatt. A convention center at the spot would be just as bad as the current location. It would still be a mile from the complementing uses needed to support a successful convention facility.

vicupstate · November 10, 2009, 05:14:15 AM

This seems to be about creating more surface parking. This has been a successful strategy for Downtown for decades. Why question it?

Charles Hunter · November 10, 2009, 06:34:35 AM

Not sure its about "creating" more parking near the stadium, just not having large swaths of it used up by carny rides and the people who ride them during FL/GA weekend and Jags games.
But I agree, how will folks without cars get out the a Fair at Cecil? Will the Fair run (pay for) shuttle buses from downtown? Has the Fair done an assessment of where their customers live?

fsujax · November 10, 2009, 08:05:37 AM

NO!!!!! I love the fair being Downtown. When on the ferris wheel you look out over the City it's great. If you want to look out over cow pastures go to any other fair around Duval County. Keep it Downtown!

JeffreyS · November 10, 2009, 08:08:26 AM

They have not been advertising the fair as much the last few years. You move it to the westside and it becomes just the same experiencing as the clay county or Callahan fair.

north miami · November 10, 2009, 08:36:35 AM

Allowing the move will add one more notch to the 'declining downtown' post.
Unless there are significant,unreported aspects to the proposed move,I can not imagine that the move would be granted traction.

ac · November 10, 2009, 08:42:46 AM

They can always put it in the LaVilla moonscape...

heights unknown · November 10, 2009, 09:13:58 AM

They need to keep it downtown, no if's and or buts. Yeah, there's nothing going on in LaVilla, put it there if you can but don't think there's enough space or room for it there. Disagree with moving it to Cecil. Tourists and passer throughs will come to the Fair too when they see the ferris wheels, etc. from I-95. They'll never know it's 10 miles out at Cecil.

Heights Unknown

Jason · November 10, 2009, 09:19:32 AM

Quote from: fsujax on November 10, 2009, 08:05:37 AM
NO!!!!! I love the fair being Downtown. When on the ferris wheel you look out over the City it's great. If you want to look out over cow pastures go to any other fair around Duval County. Keep it Downtown!

I agree 100%.

Overstreet · November 10, 2009, 10:00:23 AM

Don't you find it slightly ironic that something named the Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair is held in a city environment?

The agricultural part of the fair is just a side lite to the midway rides. They have lost the spirit of agricultural fairs. Of course maybe it is because we've lost most of the Duval County farms.

Yeah sure y'all will bemoan the fact that Cecil field is hard to get to via public transportation. But there sure were a lot of parking lots collecting their $5/car and not much public transportation in evidence. I'm sure the parking lot guys would want the fair to stay right there.

north miami · November 10, 2009, 10:35:20 AM

It is a fact that larger cities manage to garner excellent food stuffs,farmer's markets,co-ops.Wht not too this reference to "agriculture"?

Cecil Field does not represent "agriculture".It represents "growth",and 'expansion'.Natural resource agencies such as Division of Forestry and Fish & Wildlife had to fight hard to reserve certain Cecil acreage from development and they wished for more.

We must admit Downtown to be in intensive care status and not allow any undue disturbance.Redirect this energy.