by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
What was once a potentially volatile situation between the City and representatives from the Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair has now turned into a working relationship that has left both sides pleased with their positions.
Several months ago, in preparation for the new baseball park and arena, the City approached the Fair with a proposal to move the Fair’s new warehouse. That proposal was met, understandably, with opposition. The situation reached the point where the City condemned the warehouse in an effort to have it removed.
Today, after much negotiating, the warehouse is intact, the folks at the Fair are happy and Better Jacksonville Plan officials are pleased with the results and the fact that the issue is behind them.
“We came to a mutually satisfying compromise,” said Sam Mousa, the City’s chief administrative officer. “We got what we needed and they got what what they needed.”
According to Mousa, allowing the warehouse to stay was a decision based on several factors, each of which needed to be addressed.
“Timing, cost, disruption, parking,” said Mousa. “It wasn’t one thing, but a multitude of issues. We laid them across the table and discussed each one of them. When it was over, it was the right thing to do for both parties.”
Fair general manager Gary Roegner said his organization was relieved to have the issue resolved, but didn’t offer many details about the agreement.
“The City, for reasons I won’t discuss, decided to give us back the warehouse and let us leave it right where it is,” said Roegner, adding that compromise had been in the works for a while. “We were headed that way all along.”
Roegner said that any animosity between the two entities was misconstrued and the Fair is delighted that everything is status quo, allowing Fair organizers to prepare for this year’s event without any unresolved legal or logistical issues.
“There was never any battling. We were just trying to negotiate and work through the problem through a business relationship,” said Roegner. “The City has been helpful and we are happy they decided to let us leave the warehouse here.”
There is one minor item left to address: a three-block stretch of Franklin Street from Duval to Beaver streets between the Fair’s property and Wolfson Park. Talk is the Jacksonville Jaguars may want to relocate their practice fields from the south side of Alltel Stadium to the north side once the new ball park is complete and Wolfson Park has been razed. In order to build three, full-size fields, the Jaguars would need a portion, if not all, of Franklin Street. Mousa said the decision to move the fields is not the Jaguars, but something the City would have to recommend and approve.
“The Jaguars will leave that up to us,” said Mousa. “If and when we move the practice fields, the Franklin Street right-of-way will have to be integrated.”
Mousa said according to City laws and property records, the Fair owns half of Franklin Street and would have to be compensated by either the City or the Jaguars.
“We will have to work with the Fair,” said Mousa. “They own half the street and will probably want to keep it in order to have access to their buildings. The Fair wants to talk about that. There is not a final commitment to move the practice fields.”
Roegner said he’s aware of the Franklin Street situation and the Fair has already done some financial figuring as to the value of the land in question.
“At this point we have some ideas, but I am not at liberty to discuss that,” said Roegner. “We will work with the City to do whatever is necessary.”