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 during its primary hours.

Council members and staff emphasized the building will be privately funded. The mayor told the council the project brings private investment to the city: “It’s not often when you sit in my chair or at my desk where someone says, we'd like to help the youth of our community and we're bringing $3,000,000,” he said, thanking private donors and foundations.

Costs and maintenance questions

Council debate focused on the long term fiscal effects for the city. Council members said the city would assume ongoing costs for utilities, janitorial service, insurance and a repair fund once the building is accepted by the city. Council members cited different cost estimates during the discussion: staff presented a figure that would seed an annual maintenance and utilities fund (documents and speakers referenced a baseline estimate in the tens of thousands of dollars annually), and Council Member Breyer warned that combined obligations—including insurance exposure tied to large claims or hurricane damage—could substantially increase the city's annual commitment. Breyer summarized the elements that would affect the city's annual net cost: a repairs/maintenance reserve, utilities, janitorial costs and insurance obligations.

Supporters said those ongoing costs were outweighed by the city’s gain of a privately funded building and the programs SYSA runs. John Chandler, chairman of the SYSA board, told council that “our best product is productive, hardworking, disciplined young people,” and that more facilities would let the organization expand programs and reach more children.

Neighborhood access and next steps

Several speakers, and multiple council members, urged SYSA and city staff to work directly with the Westside Garden District Neighborhood Association and other neighborhood groups to formalize regular programming that serves non‑athletic uses cited by residents—examples included adult education, yoga, computer classes and services for seniors. Commissioner (and SYSA applicant) Lumen May responded on the dais that he would work with the neighborhood and that the organization does not deny children participation for inability to pay.

Council members requested follow‑up on two items: (1) a clearer schedule and reporting on how the new facility will affect programming availability at the existing May Community Resource Center, and (2) a more precise estimate of the city’s recurring maintenance and utilities obligations after the building is turned over to the city. Councilmember Baer said he expected staff to provide demographic and programmatic reporting after the building opens so the council can measure service access.

Action recorded

- Motion: Approve ground lease agreement between the City of Pensacola and Southern Youth Sports Association Inc. for construction of the Rafferty Center; authorize the mayor to execute and administer the agreement. (Moved by Delarian Wiggins; seconded by Allison Patton.) - Agenda ID cited at introduction: 25‑569. - Outcome: Approved (council recorded the motion as approved during the May 22 meeting).

Why it matters

The council’s action authorizes a privately funded facility intended to expand SYSA’s footprint and programming in a neighborhood where stakeholders have raised equity and access concerns. The deal removes the immediate capital expense from the city but creates a recurring operations and maintenance obligation that council members said will be borne by taxpayers through the city budget once the building is accepted and transferred to municipal ownership.

Speakers (selected)

- DC Reeves, Mayor (city of Pensacola) - Lumen May, Commissioner (applicant / SYSA) - Troy Rafferty, donor/private funder - Shirley Cronley, donor - John Chandler, Chairman, Southern Youth Sports Association (SYSA) board - Michelle Press, President, Westside Garden District Neighborhood Association (resident / nonprofit) - Kristen Brown, resident; Parks & Recreation Board member - Leticia Rogers, parent / volunteer - Raymond Palmer, volunteer coach - Kiki Brooks, SYSA alum and coach

Authorities

- City charter (referenced by administration when discussing mayoral execution authority) - Lease documents presented as part of agenda item 25‑569 (city files)

Clarifying details

- City access under the lease: written access from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday–Friday (as in the 2021 May Center language); ad‑hoc access with 10‑day notice is included in the lease text (mayor’s clarification during meeting). - Private fundraising cited by presenters: donors and foundations were listed as funding sources; the mayor and SYSA identified a roughly $3,000,000 private fundraising total to build the new facility. - Maintenance/insurance discussion: council members quoted multiple figures and contingencies—staff cited a baseline annual seed for maintenance and utilities in the tens of thousands of dollars; Council Member Breyer flagged potential insurance and hurricane‑damage obligations that could increase the city's obligations substantially if coverage and claims materialize.

Proper names

- Southern Youth Sports Association (SYSA) (organization) - Rafferty Center (program/facility) - Theophilus May Community Resource Center / May Center (facility) - Westside Garden District Neighborhood Association (organization) - Legion Field (location)

Community relevance

- Geographies: Westside Garden District; Legion Field area; citywide youth programs - Impact groups: youth participants and their families; neighborhood residents; parks and recreation users

Meeting context

- Engagement level: high — large public turnout, many speakers; item generated extended public comment and cross‑bench questioning. - Implementation risk: medium — private fundraising secured, but city assumes ongoing operational and insurance responsibilities after turnover.

Searchable tags:["youth sports","community center","leases","parks and recreation","Pensacola","SYSA","Rafferty Center"]

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