A heated debate is underway over the proposed Chappie James Memorial plaza in Escambia County. At the heart of the discussion is whether tourist development tax dollars can legally be used for the project’s construction.
The debate over funding for the Chappie James Memorial has been ongoing, but a recent meeting of county commissioners and tourism officials brought the issue into sharp focus. At stake is a $750,000 appropriation recommended by the Tourist Development Council (TDC). However, TDC Chairman David Bear emphasized that this recommendation was conditional upon approval from the Florida Attorney General but:
“They did not make an opinion. They have since sent back two letters saying they need more information,” said TDC Chairman David Bear.
One issue is whether the memorial will be publicly owned. Commissioners also debated whether the project qualifies as a tourism development initiative under state law, which permits tax dollars to be used for marketing and construction of certain facilities. Bear pointed out that plazas are not explicitly eligible for funding.
“The tax may be used for construction, but it does not say a plaza. It specifically says convention centers, sports stadiums, sports arenas, colosseums, auditoriums, aquariums, and museums. This plaza does not fit within any one of those categories,” Bear continued.
One suggestion was to reframe the project as an open-air museum, which could qualify for funding.
“Let’s not call it a plaza. We can call it anything we want to. I think people will come to see this. If I cross the Chappie James Bridge and I see this thing, Chappie James looks like a damn superhero. I think it’s going to promote tourism,” said District 1 Commissioner Steve Stroberger.
Chappie James Memorial Foundation Chairman Cris Dosev agrees that it will be much more than a plaza.
“We always intended for this to be for all practical purposes an open air museum,” he said. “It wasn’t just simply for recognizing General James, but there are other people within this community that never came home. Those are the types of things that we wanted to incorporate within this plan to illustrate to the children and the people in this community the sacrifices made by the people from Pensacola and the surrounding areas. So whether you have a museum within the confines of a wall with a ceiling is inconsequential. This will be an open air museum.”
Assistant County Attorney Kristin Hual offered a potential path forward.
“If you are intending to proceed under 5A3 for the promotion and advertisement of tourism and considering this a venue, then at a minimum, in order to support a legislative finding that this would, in fact, promote tourism, we would need documentation of public ownership,” said Hual.
Despite the legal uncertainties, District 2 Commissioner Mike Kohler and others pushed for progress.
“I think we can move forward with the contingencies. If they don’t meet them, then they don’t get the money. For me, it’s a leadership thing,” Kohler said.
An independent economic impact analysis by UWF’s Haas Center is in progress, expected within the week. If the study supports the argument that the memorial will drive tourism, it could strengthen the case for using development tax funds.
In the meantime, District 3 Commissioner Lumon May has pledged personal support, committing $150,000 from discretionary funds.
“It is that important to me. A great American, a great African American, a leader of this community. He deserves to be recognized,” May said.
The BCC is awaiting the results of the economic analysis and a written commitment from the city of Pensacola—through the mayor and City Council—to take ownership of the memorial. The board is expected to revisit the issue once these conditions are met.
