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Candidates urge county contribution or relocation for Ybor Alvarez soccer fields
Summary
Candidates said most users of Ybor Alvarez live off the island and suggested the county should share costs or the city consider relocating fields nearer to population centers; cost and ownership questions remain unresolved.
When asked about the Ybor Alvarez soccer fields, candidates raised questions about who uses and pays for the facility and whether the city should purchase, rent or relocate fields. Scott English asked why the city should pay $9 million for airport land or pay a monthly rent figure and suggested talking to the FAA and county for options. "Who is using that property? Most of those people that are utilizing Ybor Alvarez are not Fernandina Beach tax-paying residents," he said.
Len Krieger noted the airport's federal/state funding history and said aviation priorities limit alternative uses; he encouraged the county to step up. Stacy McMonagle said she sympathizes personally (a grandchild plays there) but flagged cost and favored asking the county to assume greater responsibility rather than the city bearing all costs.
