by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
If you think the new Duval County Courthouse complex ground breaking a couple of weeks ago was Mayor John Delaney’s last major order of business regarding the Better Jacksonville Plan, think again.
With just over two months left in the Delaney administration, plans are in the works to stage two more dedication ceremonies for Better Jacksonville projects. The new $130 million arena will be dedicated June 26 and the Cecil Equestrian and Recreation Complex will be dedicated June 19. Both ceremonies are set for 10:30 a.m.
“Tentative plans are to unveil a bronze plaque at the arena site,” said Sharon Ashton, Delaney’s press secretary.
According to Ashton, the Equestrian Center will also get a plaque and both will serve as reminders of the Better Jacksonville Plan (a half-cent sales tax increase), how it was created and how it was implemented.
“They will tell the story of the Better Jacksonville Plan,” said Ashton. “They will tell how the Plan was voter approved and how the Plan paid for numerous improvements all over the city. Seventy-five years from now, somebody will be able to read it and know the whole story.”
Ashton said the specifics surrounding each ceremony are still being worked out, but Delaney is anxious to put his mark on as many Better Jacksonville projects as possible before he leaves office June 30.
“Obviously, the Better Jacksonville Plan is close to his heart,” said Ashton. “He put his political life on the line when he unveiled the Better Jacksonville Plan. He wanted to make sure these two projects were dedicated before he leaves office.”
Delaney has broken ground on the both the $95 million Main Library and $210 million county courthouse, but Ashton says anything else ceremonial regarding those two projects will be under the leadership of someone else.
“They are up to the next mayor,” said Ashton.
At this point, the 14,000-seat arena is approximately 55 percent complete and set for substantial completion as of Nov. 17. The roof is being installed and the arena should be what’s known as “dried-in” by the end of May.
The last event in the old Coliseum is set for June 4 and the facility is set for demolition starting July 1, making way for the construction of the Veterans Memorial Wall park. Plans are expected to be 100 percent complete by this summer and work is set to begin shortly after the upcoming Jacksonville Jaguars season ends. The park, which will be heavy on landscaping and benches surrounding the wall, is scheduled to be completed before Memorial Day 2004.
The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville officially opened April 4 and the Jacksonville Suns played their first home game in the new ball park April 11. At the time, there was an 80-page punch list of almost 3,000 minor items that still needed to be addressed. That punch list is expected to be finished June 28.