Daily Record Financial News &
Friday, June 10, 2016
Vol. 103, No. 150 • One Section
35¢ www.jaxdailyrecord.com
Not many objections over slots proposal
Contract needed for payments to city
Invited guests visit Wawa Inc. exhibits at the Thrasher-Horne Conference Center in Orange Park before a presentation about the company’s plans to expand in Northeast Florida
Photo by Karen Brune Mathis
By David Chapman Staff Writer
Wawa’ s big move into area Expansion means $150M investment, 1,200 jobs
By Karen Brune Mathis, Managing Editor Wawa Inc. intends to roll into North Florida in a big way, starting with up to five gas station-convenience stores by the end of 2017 and at least 30 locations eventually. Maybe 40. At a cost of at least $5 million in each location and 40 jobs per store, the Pennsylvania-based company is looking at an investment of $150 million and a job base of 1,200 in Northeast Florida with those first 30. “If you haven’t been into one, go,” said Clay County Manager Stephanie Kopelousos. Wawa executives presented its concept at events Thursday morning in Clay County and late afternoon in Jacksonville. “It’s different things to different people,” said Wawa President and CEO Chris Gheysens to a group at the Thrasher-
Horne Conference Center in Orange Park. He emphasized the company’s “family atmosphere,” the friendliness of its associates; the popularity of its food, especially its hoagies and coffee; and of the service, noting that people courteously hold open doors for each other in Wawa stores. Gheysens said people make connections with and at the stores, leading to wedding photos and actual nuptials taking place at Wawas. Some customers sport Wawa tattoos. There’s also friendliness. “We give out a lot of hugs,” he said. Gheysens said people consider it their town center. “And that is what we hope happens here,” he said. John Poplawski, senior director of site acquisition and development, and Brian Duke, regional real estate manager, said before the Clay County presentation that four area sites have been identified and are in various stages of approvals and permitting. Wawa continued on Page A-2
“If you haven’t been into one, go.”
“It’s different things to different people.”
Stephanie Kopelousos Clay County manager
Chris Gheysens Wawa president and CEO
A Florida Supreme Court case could ultimately decide whether slot machines are allowed in Jacksonville, but local officials are heading toward the betting window before it closes — just in case the odds land in their favor. Two City Council committees convened in unison Thursday as a way to hash out questions and concerns about a possible November referendum that could bring slots to bestbet Jacksonville. It would mean extra revenue for the city, though how much would be determined on rates and business. If voters approve and the state Supreme Court sides with another Florida county, the Arlington pari-mutuel could add 2,000 slot machines. That would make it the largest non-tribal slots facility in Florida. It already is the largest Gabriel card room in the state. An economic impact estimate projects 2,000 slot machines would bring the city $5.7 million annually and add 1,500 direct jobs, 1,300 indirect jobs and $123 million in annual payroll to the area. For the dozen or so council members who attended, there were no real objections to the expansion. City attorneys, however, had concerns about bill language that would provide the city the money. Whether slots should be allowed in Duval County is more of a policy decision, said General Counsel Jason Gabriel. Bestbet is offering 1.5 percent of gross revenue created by the slots, which is included in the bill. But because that wouldn’t be enforceable and is considered “gratuitous,” as Gabriel described, a separate agreement would be needed between the city and bestbet officials. “It’s in the backdrop, but it isn’t one of the policy considerations that should be Slots
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DIA learning $6M business side of parking Authority received Downtown parking facilities as part of Curry’s reorganization By Max Marbut Staff Writer Last year, they took a four-page budget for a $1.1 million department. This year, when Downtown Investment Authority officials present the fiscal proposal to the Mayor’s Budget Review Committee, they’ll arrive with that, plus a 42-page, $6.5 million addition. That’s because part of Mayor Lenny Curry’s reorganization
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put the city’s Downtown parking facilities under the auspices of the authority. Staff has been working with the public parking officer to gain an understanding of what’s involved in the temporary storage of unoccupied motor vehicles. “I’ve learned more about parking than I thought I’d ever know,” said Tom Daly, the authority’s real estate analyst. Authority board members and staff met Thursday with Bob
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Carle, city chief of public parking, to work out details of the presentation and to better understand municipal accounting practices. The parking department budget includes the usual line items, such as salaries and benefits. But there’s much more detail involved in the financial picture, like cleaning costs for enforcement officers’ uniforms and credit card processing fees. Carle explained many of the finer points of the budget to be
presented compared to the 201516 revenue and expenses document. The department is carrying over about $514,000 because purchase of more electronic parking meters planned last year to replace aging mechanical meters was postponed to allow the next generation to hit the market, avoiding purchase of less-thancurrent technology. “We want to be on the cutting edge, not the bleeding edge,”
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Carle said. The parking budget also includes indirect costs. Daly explained the city charges for some services it provides, such as information technology, and revenue-generating departments pay part of the expenses incurred by non-revenue generating departments. Public parking, through fees and fines, collects more money DIA
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