TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Leon County leaders and the North Florida Fair Association are hitting reset on negotiations about the future of the fairgrounds.
Both sides say they’re trying to turn down the temperature, and figure out the best use for this site going forward.
A joint city-county board, Blueprint, maintains they want a $30 million makeover of the North Florida Fairgrounds.
But the Fair Association holds a long-term lease, and says they never asked for the makeover. Several rounds of negotiations have hit an impasse, but now, the county commission is sending its chairman to personally do the talking.
Miranda Muir, the fair’s executive director, said the fair’s priority is to “keep the fair whole,” though she believes the fair board is keeping an open mind as to what comes next.
“And so we want to make sure that we stay whole and that we’re able to continue to produce the great event that we do. And then also that for generations to come, kids can continue to come here, families can continue to come and enjoy a family day at the fair,” Muir said.
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Shari Morris, a proud Southside resident and representative, said public negotiations will help both sides understand what neighbors want.
“Come talk to the people who actually live here and you will find out exactly what we want, what we need, and everybody can come up at the same time,” Morris said.
Morris’s husband suggested the site become housing, with the fair itself moved to a better location.
“This fairground, I would say, needs to be moved out on Capital Circle. Along with the stadium, turn this into houses that are affordable,” Ronald Morris said.
This set of negotiations will be open to the public. The fair believes public input will be helpful to their case. Dates for these meetings have not yet been set.
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