City council approves ground lease with Southern Youth Sports Association for Rafferty Center after hours-access and maintenance debate

The Pensacola City Council voted to approve a 46‑year ground lease with Southern Youth Sports Association Inc. (SYSA) to allow construction of the Rafferty Center, a privately funded community building at Legion Field, after sustained public comment on May 22.

The lease authorizes the mayor to execute and administer the agreement and sets the terms for city access, maintenance responsibilities and a timetable for when the city may use the facility. The motion to approve was moved by Delarian Wiggins and seconded by Vice President Allison Patton; council recorded the motion as approved and authorized the mayor to take necessary actions to finalize the agreement.

The vote followed more than two hours of public comment from current and former program participants, donors and neighborhood association leaders. Supporters — including longtime SYSA donors Troy Rafferty and Shirley Cronley and dozens of parents and coaches — described SYSA as an “ecosystem” that provides mentorship, tutoring, food and transportation in addition to youth athletics. “This is a day of celebration,” donor Troy Rafferty told the council. “It was a celebration mainly, it was a celebration for the kids.”

Opponents, including leaders of the Westside Garden District Neighborhood Association, urged greater city oversight and more guaranteed public programming in the existing May (Theophilus) Community Resource Center. Michelle Press, president of the neighborhood association, said the Westside center “is the only community center in all of Pensacola that doesn't currently offer programs or services for the residents of the surrounding neighborhood” and called the long-term lease “disheartening. It’s unjust.”

What the lease says

Under terms described during the meeting, the city retains written access to the facility from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday (nine months a year per the existing May Center lease language), with additional access provisions written into the lease language for scheduled use outside those hours with notice. Council and staff said the lease requires a 10‑day notice process for ad‑hoc city use when SYSA is occupying the facility…