In 2021, Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency officials committed $20 million of funding for repairs and renovations to Florida State University’s football stadium, Doak Campbell Stadium. Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency Board of Directors is a city-county joint commission responsible for giving direction to Blueprint and the Office of Economic Vitality to create a sustainable and economically stable community.
Due to Blueprint officials committing $20 million of funding for renovations to Doak Campbell Stadium, the topic has continued to raise controversy across the city of Tallahassee. IA Board members held a meeting on Dec. 9, 2021 to vote against the $6.45 million interest required to postpone the bond or release the bond.
Many are concerned about the overall sustainability of OEV, pushing for OEV to establish a strategic plan prior to releasing the bond.
The funding being placed into the renovations for Doak Campbell Stadium can be utilized to support other economic development projects that would benefit a larger number of citizens. The group of citizens that will benefit from the renovations occurring in Doak Campbell Stadium are a marginalized group, opposed to the majority of the community.
“I’m not opposed to Florida State receiving funding for their stadium renovations; however, I am opposed to where the money is coming from,” community activist Whitfield Leland III said. “Stadium repairs are not economic development.”
Leland is a community activist in Tallahassee and the CEO of G&L Global Enterprises.
The purpose Blueprint and OEV serves in the community of Tallahassee is to ensure the citizens of the community are being provided an environment that enhances the quality of life, economic vitality and nature. The funding for renovations to Doak Campbell Stadium does not support the wants of the majority of the citizens of Tallahassee.
The lack of fulfilling the economic advancements that would benefit the quality of life for most citizens demonstrates that local leaders should be more involved with satisfying more members of the community.
“If the funding is invested differently into the community, it should be a collective effort,” Leland said.
In February 2022, the annual Economic Forecast was held in Tallahassee, outlining multiple economic issues that the local government could be restoring opposed to investing a full $20 million into Doak Campbell Stadium.
The funding provided to support the renovations of Doak Campbell Stadium would make a significant difference to other economic issues, such as the workforce gap, supply chain challenges, inflation and much more.