House Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #948

FLORIDA AGRICULTURE CENTER & HORSE PARK MASTER PLAN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Requester:

SUE NOYES

Organization:

FL. AGRICULTURE CENTER & HORSE PARK AUTHORITY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Project Title:

FLORIDA AGRICULTURE CENTER & HORSE PARK MASTER PLAN

Date Submitted:

01/24/2000 11:35:42 AM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

District Member:

Sally Heyman

Service Area:

Statewide

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Counties Affected:

{Statewide}

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipient:

FL. AGRICULTURE CENTER & HORSE PARK AUTHORITY

Contact:

SUE NOYES

 

5800 VETERANS MEMORIAL DRIVE

Contact Phone:

(850) 222-8738

 

 

TALLAHASSEE 32308

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Project Description:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A PROJECT MASTER PLAN FOR THE FUTURE FLORIDA AGRICULTURE CENTER AND HORSE PARK IN MARION COUNTY TO ENABLE THE FL AGRICULTURE CENTER AND HORSE PARK AUTHORITY TO RAISE PRIVATE FUNDS TO HELP CONSTRUCT THE FACILITIES.  THE MASTER PLAN INVOLVES DEVELOPMENT OF A FINANCIAL/OPERATING PLAN (HOW TO FINANCE THE CONSTRUCTION), A MARKETING PLAN (HOW TO SOLICIT THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO BUILD IT), AND ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY PLAN (HOW MUCH IT WILL COST AND HOW TO PHASE IN THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS FOR CONSTRUCTION), PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS (WHO NEEDS TO APPROVE AND HOW TO SECURE PERMITS), SURVEYS, ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS AND ENGINEERING SERVICES AND OTHER RELATED ITEMS.  IT IS TOO EARLY IN THE LIFE OF THIS PROJECT TO OBTAIN MATCHING FUNDS. UNTIL WE HAVE A MASTER PLAN, WE CANNOT SOLICIT THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO DEVELOP THE PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS NEEDED FOR THIS PARK SINCE THIS IS THE CRITICAL ELEMENT THAT MAKES IT VIABLE AND REAL. THE AUTHORITY ANTICIPATES A MINIMUM OF $55 MILLION IS NEEDED TO DEVELOP THE PARK AND POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTORS WANT ASSURANCE THEIR MONEY WILL BE USED FOR THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE FACILITIES. THE STATE ALLOCATED $50,000 IN FY1995-1996 FOR THE ORIGINAL CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN BASED ON 250 ACRES. IN FY 1999-2000 THE LEGISLATURE DOUBLED THE SIZE OF THE PARK TO 500 ACRES TO ENABLE IT TO HOST INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS, SUCH AS THE OLYMPICS, AND ALLOCATED $75,000 FOR THE RESIDGN AND OPERATING EXPENSES. THE NEW BOUNDARIES HAVE BEEN SET BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES AND THE NEW CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN WAS COMPLETED ON JANUARY 12,2000. THE NEXT PHASE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PARK IS TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT MASTER PLAN. THERE IS NO PLAN FOR TEMPORARY OPERATING FUNDS AND RECURRING CONSTRUCTION FUNDING TO COMPLEMENT THE PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION UNTIL THE PARK IS COMPLETE AND GENERATING REVENUE.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Services Provided/Benefit to State:

 

 

 

 

 

A WORLD CLASS PARK THAT CONTAINS A MUSEUM/VISITOR CENTER, AN EDUCATION CENTER ADN AGRICULTURAL DISPLAY AREA, A 3,000 SEAT INDOOR MULTI-PURPOSE AREA, TWO COVERED WARM-UP AREAS, FIVE 200-STALL HORSE BARNS, TWO 300-STALL AGRICULTURE BARNS THAT CAN BE USED FOR HORSES WHEN NEEDED, TRAINING TRACKS FOR ALL RACING BREEDS FOR EXHIBITION ONLY (NON-PARIMUTUEL) AND OTHER COMPONENTS NECESSARY FOR INTERNATIONAL EVENTS.  THE FLORIDA 2012 COMMITTEE HAS CHOSEN THE FLORIDA AGRICULTURE CENTER AND HORSE PARK AS THE 2012 OLYMPICS EQUESTRIAN VENUE SITE AND THE AUTHORITY IS COMMITTED TO DEVELOPING THIS PARK WELL IN ADVANCE OF THIS EVENT.  FLORIDA'S BID MUST BE SUBMITTED IN DECEMBER 2000.  THE AGRICULTURE AND HORSE INDUSTRIES PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN FLORIDA'S ECONOMY. THIS PARK'S MISSION IS TO EDUCATE WHILE ENTERTAINING THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT ITS WORTH TO FLORIDA BY TELLING THE HISTORY OF THESE INDUSTRIES.  EARLY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE UNIVERSIY OF FLORIDA MUSEUM OF NATURAL RESOURCES INDICATES A WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH THE PARK TO DISPLAY EXHIBITS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HORSE IN AMERICA.  SOME OF THE OLDEST FOSSILS OF MINIATURE HORSES WERE DISCOVERED IN THE OCALA AREA.  THERE IS ALSO A NEED TO PROVIDE CLASSES TO SUPPORT THESE INDUSTRIES.  THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICAINE AND IFAS ARE INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH THE PARK TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS, CONFERENCES AND RESEARCH. WE ANTICIPATE THIS FACILITY WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT FLORIDA FOR FIELD TRIPS TO LEARN ABOUT THESE INDUSTRIES.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Measurable Outcome Anticipated:

 

 

 

 

 

AN ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS CONDUCTED IN DECEMBER 1999 INDICATES THE FLORIDA AGRICULTURE CENTER AND HORSE PARK WILL GENERATE $82 MILLION ANNUALLY IN DIRECT AND SECONDARY IMPACT ON FLORIDA'S ECONOMY AND WILL CREATE 925 JOBS AS WELL AS BRING IN $4.8 MILLION ANNUALLY IN STATE AND LOCAL TAXES.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amount requested from the State for this project this year:

$6,000,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total cost of the project:

$60,000,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Request has been made to fund:

Construction

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is there Local Government or Private match for this request?

 

No

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Was this project previously funded by the State?

 

Yes

 

 

Fiscal Year:

1999-2000

Amount:

$75,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is future-year funding likely to be requested?

 

Unknown

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?

 

Yes

 

 

Agency:

Agriculture And Consumer Services, Department Of, And Commissioner Of Agriculture

Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?

Yes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is there a documented need for this project?

 

Yes

 

 

Documentation:

PRELIMINARY ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS DATED 12/16/99

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?

Yes

 

 

Hearing Body:

MARION COUNTY LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION

 

Meeting Date:

01/11/2000