The City of Pensacola is looking to reset its relationship with the Gen. Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. Memorial Foundation following the expiration of their original agreement on June 30, as city officials seek clarity on funding mechanisms before moving forward with plans to honor the trailblazing four-star Air Force general.
A Necessary Pause, Not a Permanent Stop
Mayor D.C. Reeves stated that the expiration of the June 30 deadline doesn’t signal the end of the memorial project. “Just because that ended and expired doesn’t necessarily mean that we aren’t ever going to consider it or that it’ll never happen,” Reeves explained during today’s press conference.
The mayor described the city’s position as being “the cart,” while other essential elements—particularly funding details—remain unresolved. Rather than extending an agreement that would likely require multiple modifications, city leadership stepped back and wants key details to be worked out first.
The primary concern driving the city’s cautious approach centers on uncertainty surrounding the memorial’s funding structure. City Administrator Tim Kinsella noted that while the foundation has submitted some financial documents, “the required funds aren’t in there according to the agreement.”
- The complexity extends beyond simple fundraising. Kinsella explained that the proposed funding sources come with significant regulatory constraints—what he termed “a lot of red tape” and specific restrictions on how the money can be used. The city administrator was referring to the legality of using Tourism Development Revenue, commonly known as “bed taxes,” for the statue and plaza.
“If the money was coming out of the county’s general fund, we’re done. Finished, no problem,” Kinsella stated. “But it’s not, it’s coming out of funds that have a lot of red tape associated with it.”
Another significant factor in the city’s decision involves potential legal complications. The current funding structure would require Pensacola to serve as a co-applicant for funds that may face legal challenges at the state level if the Department of Revenue determines the project does not qualify for bed tax funds.
“We’re not going to sign ourselves up to put us into an ethical or moral situation where we’re trying to be a co-applicant for monies that we are unsure whether by state statute is legal for us to receive them under those circumstances,” Kinsella explained.
A Reset, Not a Rejection
Rather than viewing the expired agreement as a setback, city officials are framing this as an opportunity for a comprehensive reset. Kinsella described plans to bring all stakeholders—including the county, foundation, and Tourist Development Council—together for fresh discussions.
- “This is actually an opportunity for us to reset with everybody,” Kinsella said. “Let’s get everybody down together and let’s talk about it about what really needs to happen.”
The administrator emphasized that roadblocks don’t mean the project is dead: “There’s a lot of road bumps. That doesn’t mean that we stop. That doesn’t mean that we say put our hands up and say we can’t get there. We just need to figure out how we get through those.”
Despite the procedural challenges, there appears to be widespread support for honoring General Chappie James. Both city officials and county commissioners have expressed a desire to see some form of memorial established.
- “I don’t think there’s any question, anybody who were to come here and say to me, we don’t want this memorial,” Kinsella noted, emphasizing that the debate centers on implementation rather than the memorial’s merit.
Looking Forward
The city has outlined clear conditions for moving forward with a new agreement:
- Transparent funding mechanisms that comply with state law
- Demonstrated financial capacity to complete the project
- A clean ground lease structure
- Resolution of legal questions surrounding fund sources
Mayor Reeves indicated openness to various arrangements, including traditional ground leases, while expressing hesitation about co-sponsorship arrangements that could expose taxpayers to financial risk if disputed funding sources face legal challenges.
- As Pensacola moves forward with reset discussions, the focus remains on finding “a way that it does work that we can make it happen” while ensuring all legal requirements are met. The pause represents not abandonment of the project, but rather a commitment to doing it right the first time.