MILTON — After years of planning and months of discussion, Santa Rosa County Commissioner Bob Cole did not want to wait two days a covered arena in his district to be approved.
After a 40-minute discussion Tuesday that included comments from the public and Escambia County officials, county commissioners voted 3-2 to approved a contract with A.E. New Jr. Inc. to build the arena.
“I think most of my questions have been answered,” Commissioner Don Salter said. “I’ve heard a lot over the last week or two from the agricultural community in the north end of the county … I’m going to support the project and I just hope it does everything that it’s supposed to do.”
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Commissioners Jim Williamson and Jim Melvin voted no. Melvin said his decision was based on concerns he still has about the ongoing insurance cost associated with the arena.
The vote at Tuesday’s meeting was unusual. The commission usually meets twice a week every other week. The first meeting of the week on Tuesday usually consists of discussions and questions. The board then votes at its Thursday meetings.
Cole said the arena has been discussed enough over the years and in recent months, and he wanted the vote taken while dozens of supporters were in the audience.
The at the intersection of U.S. Highway 90 and Bobby Brown Road would feature a 200-foot-by-300-foot covered pavilion, a judges’ booth, meeting room and restrooms.
Commissioners took two additional votes on the arena Tuesday. They voted unanimously to rename the facility the June Ates Arena.
The Ates family has lived in Santa Rosa County for generations, and June Ates has been very active in promoting equestrian activities even after she was severely injured when a tree fell on her years ago.
The board also voted to hold a large ribbon-cutting event after the arena is completed to bring in community groups to see it.
The audience applauded loudly after the final vote on the arena.
Plans started in 2003, but were disrupted following the hurricanes in 2004 and 2005. The project was restarted in 2009.
Cole started saving money through his District 2 recreation funds for the project back in 2003. With the project approved Tuesday, Cole hopes construction can start on the $1.2 million arena in about 30 days.
Possible uses include gun shows, car shows, food festivals, bluegrass music festivals, farm shows, heavy equipment shows, short-term disaster recovery, 4H events and competitions, truck or tractor pulls and archery competitions.
Contact Daily News Business Editor Dusty Ricketts at 850-315-4448 or dricketts@nwfdailynews.com. Follow him on Twitter @DustyRnwfdn.
