Donate the land!
Good concept, but very poor use of County funds. With a land donation, it may make sense, but the County needs to budget both operating loss and capital reserve accounts to accommodate the losses and ongoing maintenance these types of facilities historically create.
Bay County already controls the sports tourism business just 10 or so miles down the road at Frank Brown Park, and South Walton’s hospitality business is already performing at pre-recession levels, and caters to a tourism sector that is at a much different (higher) price point than the sports travel business that brings in families that primarily stay at affordable, limited service hotels.
County funds would be much better used in expanding and improving the recreational facilities at Helen McCall Park, not to mention paving roads, expanding schools and encouraging real economic development to attract larger employers.
Again, it’s a very good concept, but overall a poor idea if presented as a County-funded land acquisition and development project. Seems if it was such a profitable venture that the landowner/developer would develop it themselves…