A $15 million appropriations bill for renovations to Hodges Stadium at the University of North Florida, projects at other area universities and three workforce development programs drew Jacksonville City Council approval on Dec. 9.
Ordinance 2025-0718, proposed by Council member Raul Arias, passed Council 18-0, with member Terrance Freeman away from the dais, before a holliday break.
The ordinance, proposed by Council member Raul Arias, grants funding to three Jacksonville universities and three workforce development programs.
As approved by Council, the ordinance provides:
• $6 million in renovations to Hodges Stadium at UNF.
• $5 million for development of trade career programs at Florida State College at Jacksonville.
• $2 million toward construction at Edward Waters University
• $1 million for a workforce development center for the Northeast Florida Builders Association.
• $675,000 for the Jacksonville General Apprenticeship Association.
• $325,000 for a Workforce Industrial Training LLC program.
Originally, Edward Waters was set to receive $2.675 million. Council committees voted to pull $675,000 from the university to fund a grant to the Jacksonville General Apprenticeship Association.
Council also voted to fund $3 million of the $6 million appropriated for Hodges Stadium using funds from the city’s Tourist Development Council funds. Those funds are designated for tourism development from the city’s local-option tourist development tax.
The $3 million that was saved from the original funding source, a $45 million surplus transferred from the city’s reserve funding for workers’ compensation claims, would likely be used to pay down the city’s deficit in the 2026-27 budget.
Council Vice President Nick Howland has introduced Ordinance 2025-0873 to use the funds to pay a completion grant for the Rise Doro apartments near EverBank Stadium, which are being rebuilt after being badly damaged by fire in January 2024.
Hodges Stadium renovations
The ordinance will provide a portion of $40 million in planned renovations to Hodges Stadium, a project designed to give UNF the opportunity to host NCAA and high school tournaments.
In addition to the stadium renovations, the funding would allow UNF to build additional grass training facilities around the stadium.
FSCJ Training Institute at Cecil Commerce Center
The money designated for FSCJ funds the purchase of a building to house the FSCJ Training Institute at Cecil Commerce Center.
The training institute, which is in development, will support a technical educational training facility for skilled trades, including welding, electrical, HVAC, carpentry and logistics work.
Edward Waters complex
The funding for Edward Waters was set aside for the first phase of multiyear improvements for the university’s Living, Learning Community Center complex.
Edward Waters plans to add 86,000 square feet with 425 residential beds and provide space for institutional and external events.
The university also plans to expand direct services to the community around the campus through health, wellness and senior/youth engagement programs, according to the legislation.
With the Council vote, Edward Waters will be required to receive Council approval for its use agreement before it could spend any funding.
NEFBA Workforce Development Center
The ordinance supports NEFBA’s expansion of its apprenticeship program with a Workforce Development Center.
According to attachments to Arias’ bill, the 43,000-square-foot facility “will serve as a centralized hub for classroom and lab instruction, outreach, and community engagement.”
The center will include classrooms and labs with capacity for daytime and evening classes.
JGAA workforce development
The money will fund education programs for trade groups operating under the JGAA umbrella, including the Jacksonville Plumbers and Pipefitters union, the Electrical Training Alliance of Jacksonville and the local chapter of the International Union of Operating Engineers.
Because the funds were added to the bill late in the process, both committees placed the $675,000 allotment into a contingency until a term sheet between the city and JGAA could be worked out.
Workforce Industrial Training
A Downtown workforce development program operated by Workforce Industrial Training LLC received $325,000. The program plans to recruit, train and place 100 Jacksonville residents with year-round, cost-free certification programs.
James Coleman is CEO of Workforce Industrial Training. According to the witjax.com website, the company is headquartered at 2005 Dahlia Road and offers training programs for industrial safety, health, emergency response and other areas.
Council debates Edward Waters funding
Council members largely supported five of the programs receiving funding but debated over the Edward Waters project after the Office of General Counsel indicated it wanted to research whether the university had demonstrated a public purpose for its improvement project. By law, the public purpose was a requirement for the project to receive city funding.
OGC’s concerns prompted Council member Chris Miller to offer an amendment to place the Edward Water funds into a contingency, but not to award them until public purpose had been demonstrated. Miller said his amendment was designed to “give (OGC) the time to do the full legal review so that we feel confident we’re on good legal standing going forward.”
Arias called the amendment “unfortunate.”
“This definitely serves a public use,” he said of the improvement project. “To say it doesn’t, is honestly a false narrative.”
“Over many years, I don’t think I’ve ever voted no on giving money to EWU,” member Matt Carlucci said, but added that he supported placing the funding into a contingency because “it gives our general counsel a little more time to make sure that we button this thing up right, and it doesn’t come back to embarrass EWU, and it doesn’t come back to embarrass us.”
Member Jimmy Peluso, whose District 7 includes Edward Waters, also voted to put the Edward Waters funding in a contingency. Peluso also said he felt there were other options to fund items of public purpose in and around Edward Waters, including a grocery store in the neighborhood.
Member Rory Diamond offered a compromise appropriating funding to Edward Waters but requiring that the university come back to Council for separate approval of its use agreement before the university could spend any money.
Under the amendment, if Council were to vote down that use agreement, the Edward Waters would still have the funding but would need to find another project on which to spend the city money.
Diamond’s amendment passed 17-1, with Miller voting against it and member Freeman away from the dais.