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Escambia County, Pensacola leaders agree to pursue RFI, design work for Bay Center renovation and new multipurpose event center
Summary
County and city leaders heard feasibility studies showing a 71M renovation to the Bay Center plus a roughly 84M flexible event center (55,000 sq ft) could attract conventions and amateur sports; officials agreed to pursue a market RFI/RFP, advance design work and negotiate a public‑private option for an auxiliary ice facility. (No final funding vote was taken.)
Escambia County and Pensacola leaders on April 2026 met in a joint session to review feasibility work and signaled agreement to move forward with design and market testing for a renovated Pensacola Bay Center and a new, flexible 55,000‑square‑foot event center.
Consultants from WT Partnership and Legends/CSL presented a multi‑building, campus approach that they said would boost tourism and local businesses. WT Partnership framed the project as a district activation tied to downtown and waterfront connectivity; Legends and CSL outlined a program that includes Bay Center renovations, a separate event center and the option for an auxiliary facility that could include a second sheet of ice.
"This is a huge community project and a once in a lifetime project for all of us," the Chair said in opening remarks, urging officials to agree on next steps. WT Partnership emphasized that a competitive convention product depends on nearby hotel inventory and walkability; Bill…
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