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Escambia commissioners direct staff to negotiate with Beulah Town Center for OLF 8; jobs and timeline drove debate
Summary
The Board voted 5-0 Jan. 9 to authorize 30 days of negotiations with Beulah Town Center LLC over the county-owned 540-acre OLF 8 site. Commissioners and residents focused on job creation, contract terms and the DPZ master plan as a protective framework.
The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners voted 5-0 on Jan. 9 to direct county staff to begin negotiations with Beulah Town Center LLC for the county-owned 540‑acre Outlying Field 8 (OLF 8) site in Beulah, and to use the DPZ CoDesign master plan as a restrictive guide during negotiations.
The vote followed several hours of public comment and competing presentations from three developer teams. Commissioner Steve Strohberger moved to authorize staff negotiations; the motion was seconded and approved on an electronic vote. Commissioners limited the negotiation period to 30 days and asked staff to return with a proposed purchase-and-sale contract and timetable.
Why it matters: OLF 8 has been presented by county leaders as a rare, shovel‑ready opportunity to attract employers and create local jobs. Advocates and developers repeatedly told the board that the choice now is between keeping the county as an active steward of the land or transferring…
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