$50M Greenwell Park redevelopment raises concerns | Lee County

NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK) — A $50 million redevelopment proposal could dramatically change Mike Greenwell Regional Park, bringing new agricultural, 4-H and community facilities while raising questions from vendors about the future of Expo Hall.

Lee County commissioners are expected to consider awarding $50 million in federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funding for the project Tuesday.

The county’s current concept calls for demolishing Expo Hall and constructing an approximately 30,000-square-foot Community and Agricultural Education Center. The new building is envisioned as a multi-use space for trade shows, agricultural events and 4-H club meetings, with restrooms and a ticket box office. The concept also includes a covered outdoor educational and event platform with terraced green space, three new 4-H barns, a replacement horse stable, agricultural education pavilions, a demonstration garden, new pedestrian and accessibility paths, restroom improvements and emergency-support infrastructure. 

For some vendors who regularly use Expo Hall, the concern is not the additional agricultural investment, but what happens to the large indoor events they depend on.

Lafe Flynn, owner of the 1923 Trading Company, said he participates in two or three shows at the property each year.

“Each show represents about 15% of my total revenue for the year,” Flynn said. “So not having that Lee Civic Center in general would, you know, for my business, completely impact it.”

Flynn said he welcomes many of the improvements included in the concept, particularly the investment in agriculture.

“They’re gonna enhance the agricultural side. That’s awesome,” Flynn said. “The biggest concern is tearing down the actual Lee Civic Center building.”

Another vendor, Sandro Rodriguez, said indoor space, parking and access are important to businesses that attend events there.

“If this goes away, my business goes away,” Rodriguez said. “Half of my business goes away.”

Rodriguez said he supports several parts of the redevelopment but wants the county to consider whether Expo Hall can remain.

“I like some of them, but I don’t think they need to take that out,” Rodriguez said.

A Lee County spokesperson told WINK that Tuesday’s agenda item would award the funding and allow the design process to begin. Details of the project, including the final layout and capacity of the new facilities, would be developed during that process.

County documents also state that the preliminary scope can be refined during design based on federal eligibility requirements, environmental review, available funding and other county requirements. 

“If the plan is truly conceptual, that’s good news,” Flynn said. “That means that there might be some leeway there.”

One question raised by vendors and others who use the property is why the county cannot simply renovate Expo Hall instead of demolishing it.

In an interview with Jason Jones on 92.5 Fox News, Lee County Commissioner Brian Hamman said county staff told him the existing building sits in a floodway. Hamman said substantial renovations could trigger the 50% rule, requiring the building to meet additional flood and building-code requirements.

Hamman also told 92.5 Fox News that the county does not currently have local funding available to renovate the existing facility and said the federal hurricane recovery money must be used, with the project completed by 2031, or the money could be redirected to another eligible project.

Hamman said during the interview that he remained undecided on the proposal and wanted to hear from the public before making a decision.

Lee County told WINK that Mike Greenwell Regional Park serves as an official Logistics Staging Area for emergency and disaster recovery operations. During previous storms, the property has been used to stage power crews from FPL and LCEC.

The county said adding emergency power and water, along with fixed facilities, would help deploy those resources during future disasters. The concept plan includes four power plug-in stations for emergency-operation mobile units and generator capability. 

The proposed redevelopment comes after years of discussion over the future of the former Lee Civic Center complex. The property was renamed Mike Greenwell Regional Park in 2025 following the death of former Lee County Commissioner Mike Greenwell, who had longstanding ties to 4-H, youth agriculture and the Civic Center property. 

Commissioners are scheduled to consider the $50 million funding award at Tuesday morning’s commissioner meeting. Approval would not finalize the design but would allow the county to move into design, environmental review, procurement and other steps needed to carry out the project.