The city issued a permit Sept. 18 for construction of the expo hall, office and amphitheater stage for the Jacksonville Fairgrounds in West Jacksonville at project cost of $17 million.
The 77,500-square-foot expo hall, office and stage will be developed at 13611 Normandy Blvd.
The Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair, which says it has operated since 1955, is moving to a city-owned, 82.37-acre site next to the Jacksonville Equestrian Center.
In April 2022, Jacksonville Jaguars’ owner Shad Khan’s Iguana Investments Florida LLC entered into an agreement to purchase the current fairground property at 510 Fairgrounds Place. That 14.1-acre site, north of 121 Financial Ballpark and northwest of EverBank Stadium, has been the home of the fair since 1990.
The new fairground is expected to be completed in June 2025 with the fair moving that fall.
The city has included $42.9 million in its Capital Improvement Plan for the new fairground. That includes $16.7 million in the 2024-25 plan that has yet to be approved by Council.
In 2023, Council approved a development and lease agreement with the Duval County Fair Association for the new site.
The city agreed to clear and grade the property and provide infrastructure, parking and roadway improvements. It agreed to construct an amphitheater seating area and up to 32 RV parking spaces with water, sewer and electrical hookups.
Under terms revised in May, the city will lease the fairgrounds site to the Fair Association for 30 years with two 10-year renewal options at $100 per year. The Council also approved a $1.5 million development loan and a $1.5 million completion grant for the project with the Fair Association.
It says the total Fair Association investment in the facility is expected to be $18 million.
Fair President and CEO Bill Olson said in 2022 that the organization will close on the sale of the Downtown fairgrounds property with Iguana Investments Florida LLC when the new facility is complete.
Neither party provided a purchase price.