Tourist Development Council TDC New Building for Visit South Walton on 331

The plan for the TDC building has been approved. It is a significant project and will be one of the largest buildings in the area. I hope that the public will be able to use some of the space for meetings and gatherings as they do at the library.

See blueprints - https://walton.civicweb.net/document/59099/Presentation and request approval of conceptual.pdf?handle=198BADE4BF184F5F8DA0CD80EADDE188

New Discovery Center&Administrative Offices WaltonCounty Tourist Development Council Walton County, Florida

Do we know what the TDC will do with the current building in the NE corner of 331 and 98?

Do we know what the TDC will do with the current building in the NE corner of 331 and 98?

Building over the retention pond was a cool idea but not a good one as the moisture caused problems over time. They did some renovations which helped but I don't know if it was a permanent solution or if the building will remain. A dedicated right turn lane north on to 331 would be a good idea but not sure if there is room without demolition and filling the pond.

The land may revert back to State Forest? Would be nice to see it to return it to natural. Maybe build a replica of Coleman Pavilion on the corner, with low impact lighting with different colors on holidays.

Moving forward with favorable recommendations at the June 11 Walton County Planning Commission were plans for a new Walton County Tourist Development Council Building.

Building over the retention pond was a cool idea but not a good one as the moisture caused problems over time. They did some renovations which helped but I don't know if it was a permanent solution or if the building will remain. A dedicated right turn lane north on to 331 would be a good idea but not sure if there is room without demolition and filling the pond.

The land may revert back to State Forest? Would be nice to see it to return it to natural. Maybe build a replica of Coleman Pavilion on the corner, with low impact lighting with different colors on holidays.

It will revert back to state forest, in a few years you won't be able to tell there was anything there.

I remember the ribbon-cutting for the new building at 331/98. The small one-room visitor center was there previously, but the TDC's administrative office was in Emerald Coast Plaza. I was just thinking to myself, all that money to build that new, beautiful building...and then I remember that was between 20 and 25 years ago. :scratching:

It will revert back to state forest, in a few years you won't be able to tell there was anything there.

The article states that the county will keep the lease and the intent is for the old building to be used for combined code enforcement offices. Not sure if that is approved yet.

Commissioners approved plans for the building in August of last year, but since then two new commissioners have come on board. William "Boots" McCormick, a Freeport native and former Walton County sheriff's deputy, won the Republican primary election and was unchallenged in the Nov. 3 general election to replace District 1 Commissioner Bill Chapman, who opted not to seek re-election.

Barker, another former sheriff's deputy who became the county's first emergency management director, also won his seat in last year's Republican primary and faced no opposition in the Nov. 3 general election to replace District 3 Commissioner Melanie Nipper, who did not seek re-election.

McCormick was absent from Tuesday's meeting, at which Barker aggressively questioned a representative of Dewberry Engineers on the size and cost of the building.

The new facility, covering more than 21,000 square feet and projected to cost between $9 million and $11 million — all funded with tourist-paid bed tax revenue — will be located on two combined tracts at 24604 U.S. Highway 331 South near U.S. Highway 98 just north of Elmore's Landing and South Walton High School. The tracts were purchased at a total cost of $1.7 million, also with bed tax revenue. The new visitor center is slated to replace the aging TDC facility nearby at the intersection of U.S. 98 and U.S. 331.

"That's a lot of money to spend for a building," Barker suggested to the engineer, "and I have some grief with that." Barker was particularly critical of plans to house TDC offices and staff in the building, suggesting that they could be accommodated in less-expensive offices in another location, allowing for the visitor center to be scaled down.

Barker also questioned the need for the interactive exhibits and the koi and turtle pond planned for the new center, suggesting that tourists coming into the county wouldn't necessarily be focused on those niceties.

“They’re going to the beach,” Barker said.

In the end, commissioners opted to postpone a decision on renewing the county's agreement with Dewberry engineers until their May 11 meeting. In the meantime, at commissioners' direction, the Dewberry Engineers representative will meet individually with each of them in advance of the May 11 meeting. The county's current agreement with Dewberry is scheduled to expire on May 24.

Update: TDC Visitor Center / Discovery Center/ DMO Administration Facility

This 20,000 square foot building, located at 24604 U.S. Highway 331 in Santa Rosa Beach, will house a museum, public assembly room, retail space and offices. Currently in the final bidding stages, the contract is expected to be awarded by early Feb. 2023, with completion in Spring 2025.

By DOTTY NIST

Starting over with design and permitting for a new tourism visitor center and offices will now be the course of action, following county commissioners having learned that the cost to build the previously-approved 24,000-square-foot facility would far exceed the amount budgeted.

Maybe we can get an architect that actually operates in Walton County this time?

The latest in the ongoing evolution of Walton County TDC politics is a proposal for splitting of funds to create a visitor center in the north end.

I'd like to see bed tax dollars spent wisely on improving the quality of life for locals, which translates to visitors. Siphoning funds for a visitors' center to nowhere is a slap in the face to bed tax generators. This county continues to be backwards and petty.