Tallahassee and Leon County Commissioners, sitting as the Board of The Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency, yesterday, denied FAMU’s plea for an extra $15 million in funding to pay for additional renovations at Bragg Memorial Stadium. Instead, the board, voted 11-1 to pursue alternative avenues for financing the project, notably through the Office of Economic Vitality.
This decision, marked a significant setback for FAMU's aspirations to further enhance the infrastructure of its iconic sports venue. The university's proposal sought funds to implement critical upgrades, including the installation of new restrooms, renovation of existing bathrooms, enhancement of concession areas, and the modernization of the stadium's field lighting.
FAMU made the new request for funding this past September, after the university was granted $10 million of taxpayer dollars in 2020. FAMU spent another $8 million of its own money on renovations to the Stadium over the past two years.
The rejection by Blueprint merely marks a pause in the process, leaving the door open for future deliberations on financing options through OEV.
County Commissioner Nick Maddox, suggested that OEV could issue a bond to fund the Bragg renovations, just as it did for FSU.
Blueprint’s next meeting is in May.