FORT MYERS, Fla.– If you’re a Lee County native, you might remember the Lee Civic Center hosting your graduation, gun show or even the County Fair. But now County leaders are deciding the Center’s fate.
For 42 years, the Southwest Florida & Lee County Fair have been held at the Lee Civic Center in North Fort Myers, but with its lease expiring, the county is now prepared to hear two different proposals for its future.
Randy Crone, operations manager for the fair, has worked as a volunteer for it for over a decade. He said everything he and his staff do is for the community.
“The fair is not a money maker for us, the fair is here because it’s for the community.” He said.
Now, he and his staff are competing for the renewal of the lease at the Civic Center, with Kitson and Partners, the developers behind Babcock Ranch in Charlotte County.
“The demolishment is what Babcock wants to do. They want to demolish the whole grounds and look at hotels and restaurants for this area.” Crone added.
“Lee County issued an Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) – for the purpose of identifying qualified parties interested in redeveloping and or managing the Lee Civic Center property. With Babcock Ranch located just up the road, we share a vested interest with the county in ensuring that whatever is done there adds value for the region – so we accepted the invitation to reimagine what could be done in collaboration with the county. It is up to the commission to determine what best serves the citizens of Lee County. We fully understand the county may choose to go in a different direction and will completely support whatever path they choose to pursue,” said Kitson and Partners in a statement.
Commissioner Hamman also tempered concerns about the Civic Center’s future, saying staff still need to review both proposals at a Public Meeting this Friday.
“It will be a Civic center, but hopefully in a lot better shape than it is right now. It needs a lot of TLC in order to host all the great events we used to see there.” Hamman said.
That meeting is Friday at 1pm at the Public Works building in downtown Fort Myers.
Hamman also mentioned that County staff will be hearing both proposals, as well as public comment.
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