FSU to receive $20 million in Blueprint funding for Doak infrastructure upgrades

 

FSU to receive $20 million in Blueprint funding for Doak infrastructure upgrades

The OsceolaSports business

FSU to receive $20 million in Blueprint funding for Doak infrastructure upgrades

Florida State athletics will receive $20 million toward Doak Campbell Stadium infrastructure upgrades from the Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency on Thursday evening.

Blueprint has broad authority to disperse taxpayer funds toward projects that are brought before the group, which consists of city and county commissioners.

The final vote was 7-5 for FSU athletics to receive funding, with yes votes from Nick Maddox, Jimbo Jackson, Dianne Williams-Cox, Curtis Richardson, Bill Proctor, Carolyn Cummings and mayor John Dailey. No votes were from Jack Porter, Jeremy Matlow, Brian Welch, Kristen Dozier and Rick Minor.

FSU intends to use the money to remodel bathrooms and replace water lines, ADA improvements, hand rails on aisles and more. Administrators had put forward a detailed proposal to the commissioners, outlining what they felt were necessary upgrades to the 71-year-old stadium.

Under the ADA improvements, Doak’s capacity would come down by about 10,000 seats.

Thank you !

Grow Tallahassee is pleased to announce that, yesterday, the Blueprint IA Board passed the final vote on bond financing to approve Doak Campbell Stadium infrastructure funding with a 7-5 vote. 

 

We appreciate all of the 350+ boosters who participated in our "Support Doak" campaign and contacted the decision makers through our platform.  

COMMISSIONERS IN FAVOR: 
 

Mayor John Dailey (Up for Re-election)

Mayor Pro-Tem Curtis Richardson

City Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox (Up for Re-election)

County Commissioner - Nick Maddox (Up for Re-election)
County Commissioner Bill Proctor  (Up for Re-election)

County Commissioner Jimbo Jackson
County Comissioner Carolyn Cummings

COMMISSIONERS AGAINST:  

City Commissioner - Jeremy Matlow (Up for Re-election)
City Commissioner - Jack Porter 
County Commissioner - Kristin Dozier (Most Likely Running for Mayor)
County Commissioner - Rick Minor (Up for Re-election)
County Commissioner - Brian Welch

Vote History

• May 25, 2021: FSU’s proposed Convention Center pushed off table, FSU comes forward with new funding request for Doak Campbell Stadium upgrades.
• May 27, 2021: Blueprint votes 9 to 3 in favor of moving forward with funding stadium repairs at Doak.
• Sept. 27, 2021: Doak funding moves forward again in an 8 to 4 vote.
• Nov. 29, 2021: Tallahassee branch of NAACP holds town hall asking commissioners to reconsider Doak funding ahead of the December vote.
• Dec. 9, 2021: Blueprint again votes in favor of Doak funding in a 7 to 5 vote.
• Feb. 17, 2022: Leon County Democratic Party calls on commissioners running for reelection to return campaign contributions from groups connected to FSU leadership.

Battle

The Blueprint 2020 Intergovernmental Agency, made up of all 12 city and county commissioners, voted 7-5 in favor of bond financing for stadium repairs and a number of other local projects. The decision means Blueprint will move forward with a $20 million appropriation for the stadium along with nearly $7 million in interest.

NAACP joins with Koch-funded Americans for Prosperity to rail against Blueprint Deal For Doak