Escambia commissioners direct staff to negotiate with Beulah Town Center for OLF 8; jobs and timeline drove debate

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 development control to a private partner. Several resident speakers urged the commission to protect the DPZ master plan and secure measurable job commitments.

Residents and stakeholders who addressed the board emphasized jobs and community amenities. Cecilia Campbell, a Beulah resident, told commissioners, “We just want y’all to do what you promised … that one developer following the DPZ design to their very best ability” would preserve the plan’s intent. Sharon Gaubert, representing local ice‑sports groups, said limited local ice time has forced teams to travel and that “OLF 8 … offers a great opportunity for a community sports facility with ice.”

Three development teams presented to the board. Chad Henderson, representing the Catalyst/Wilson team, framed the project as a long‑term partnership: “This is way more than a real estate transaction. This is a partner selection,” he said.

Will Dunaway and partners representing the Beulah Town Center/Metro‑Hemmer team emphasized their ability to deliver a master development agreement and said they would produce a site plan and timetable in short order if authorized to negotiate. Ryan Bell offered an upfront purchase proposal during public comment: “My offer is $45,000,000 for the full 540 acres,” he told the board.

Developers and some commissioners also discussed potential external funding. David Baer summarized a prior Triumph Gulf Coast application tied to infrastructure for the site and said that a Triumph application had been scored but paused pending county direction: the cited application request was $14.2 million and referenced about 338 jobs in its application materials, Baer said. He and others told the board that any Triumph funding would be contingent on job creation and other performance criteria.

Board members repeatedly returned to two themes: (1) price and upfront deposits, and (2) enforceable job commitments and contract terms. Commissioner Lumen May said purchase price matters but that “job creation and being able to work … are immediate impacts” she must weigh. Commissioner Michael Kohler (chair) asked that any negotiating instructions include timelines and firm performance penalties where feasible.

The board’s specific direction was procedural: staff was authorized to negotiate a purchase‑and‑sale agreement with Beulah Town Center LLC consistent with the DPZ master plan and to return to the board with a draft contract and timeline following the 30‑day negotiation window. Commissioners said if the negotiations do not produce acceptable terms, they will direct staff to negotiate with other proposers.

What’s next: County staff and the county attorney will work with the selected development team to draft an executable contract. The board requested a status update and expected a contract or a report back to the commission at the next regular meeting or sooner if negotiations conclude earlier.