Daily Record Financial News &
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Vol. 103, No. 134 • Twelve Sections
35¢ www.jaxdailyrecord.com
Slot machines in Duval County?
Bill filed would let voters decide; issue still needs state court decision
By David Chapman Staff Writer
Duval County voters could have a high-stakes decision to make in November. City Council member Aaron Bowman filed legislation Wednesday that would seek voter approval on bringing slot machines to Duval County. The Florida Supreme Court is weighing a case that would
Bowman
Bold City Downtown gets loan from DIA
impact Florida counties’ ability to allow slot machines in “eligible facilities” — those that have conducted live racing or poker games in a county for two consecutive years and have voter approval. If both go the way Bowman hopes, it would mean the bestbet facility in Regency could add slots. “I’m always interested in creating job and more revenue for the
city, so we can take care of what we have,” Bowman said Wednesday. “Slot machines have been found to be a very successful endeavor.” The proposal would provide the city 1.5 percent of the gross revenue generated by slot machine gaming. Bowman said he knows financial impact studies have been done, but declined to say what the most recent figure he saw
was. Susie Wiles, who represents bestbet, said a study was underway to determine what the city could possibly expect from slot machine gaming, with results likely coming in the next several weeks. As for the ballot initiative, Wiles said it was good for the city and company to let voters decide the issue. Slots continued on Page A-4
Appeal filed over Gate station approval
By Max Marbut Staff Writer
DIA
continued on
Page A-3
2015 Delinquent Real Estate Tax List SEE TODAY’S SUPPLEMENT A-K ENCLOSED OR VIEW THE LIST AT JAXDAILYRECORD.COM
Public
Humane society getting fresh start Ann Korcyzk, left, and Denise Deisler watch as demolition begins at the Jacksonville Humane Society to make way for the new 43,000-square-foot adoption and education center. Korcyzk is assistant executive director and Deisler is executive director of the organization. Several buildings are being demolished as the group continues to recover from a 2007 fire that destroyed the shelter and killed 86 animals. The facility at 8464 Beach Blvd. will remain open during the construction. The new facility is scheduled to open spring of 2017. Donations can be made at jaxhumane.org/donate.
Special to the Daily Record
They were looking for a shotgun brewery. That’s how Susan Miller, co-owner of Bold City Brewery, described the beginning of a sequence of events that led to Bold City Downtown, a craft brewery under construction at 106 E. Bay St. The Downtown Investment Authority board on Wednesday approved a $20,000 forgivable loan to help finance build-out of the 1,400-square-foot space. Miller referred to it as a “shotgun” because the space is much longer than it is wide, similar to the shotgun houses that once were prevalent in LaVilla. Miller said she and her son, Brian, director of brewing, were approached by Jacques Klempf, developer of the Cowford Chophouse. Klempf asked if they might be interested in opening a small brewing facility and tap room next door to the restaurant he’s building in the former Bostwick Building at the corner of Bay and Ocean streets. Miller said the opportunity to brew and sell their beer Downtown was too good to refuse. “I remember coming Downtown years ago to shop at (May) Cohens and eat at Morrison’s (Cafeteria). We’d get all dressed up,” she said. The brewing operation — about 100 gallons per batch — will be in the back of the space with a bar area in the front. A glass partition will separate the two areas while allowing customers to watch the beer-making process. Miller said construction has begun and will be scheduled so as not to conflict with work going on at the restaurant. Both are slated to open this summer.
Shops of Philips to start with Wendy’s A Philips Highway site cleared of a call center and prepared for development could soon host its first new construction — a Wendy’s restaurant. Wendy’s is the first fast-food restaurant confirmed as one of the initial projects at the Shops of Philips, at the busy traffic corner of Emerson Street and Philips Highway. A 3,500-square-foot Wendy’s, with a drive thru, is planned on just under an acre at the 3100 Emerson St. site. Project manager Larry Matthews, a vice president with landowner Demetree Brothers Inc., said the Wendy’s site is under contract and scheduled to close in June.
legal notices begin on page
A-9
Matthews said letters of intent have been submitted for a retail store and another fast-food restaurant, but he would not identify them. “We’re off to a good start,” he said. Agent EnVision Design + Engineering asked for a mobility-fee calculation, which the city determined at $64,737, for the pro-
Published
for
posed Wendy’s. Matthews said Wendy’s would face Emerson Street and be built near the Gate gas station and convenience store. In March 2013, Demetree sold about 2 acres to Gate Petroleum Co., which developed the store to replace a smaller one nearby. He said about 6 acres remain for development. Should a buyer need a large site, 3 acres can be assembled for a user, such as a grocery store. The corner parcel at Philips and Emerson remains available and can be assembled up to three acres. A road and retention work have been
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