The City of Pensacola wants to know what you think should happen with the vacant land near the Pensacola Bay Center. A new online survey presents three options — a convention center, an ice rink, or an indoor sports complex — and asks residents to weigh in before the deadline closes today, Monday, Feb. 16. Take the survey.
- On its face, it’s a straightforward exercise in public engagement. But as with most things involving city-directed development, the details matter far more than the glossy descriptions.
The Three Options
The city seeks comments on three concepts for the site:
Option 1 — Convention Center: A modern facility to host conferences, trade shows, and large gatherings aimed at drawing regional visitors.
Option 2 — Ice Rink: A year-round ice rink with public skating programs and the capacity to host teams and regional tournaments.
Option 3 — Indoor Sports Complex: A multi-court facility designed for basketball, volleyball, and other indoor sports, supporting local leagues and tournaments.
The city frames the project as part of a “long-term vision to create a vibrant, connected community that promotes job creation, supports safety and walkability, and improves the quality of life.” That’s a lot of buzzwords packed into one sentence.
What the Survey Doesn’t Tell You
The Pensacola Bay Center is owned by Escambia County and operated by Legends Global, formerly ASM Global. The City of Pensacola has no ownership role—it’s a county asset governed by the Escambia County Commission.
- So why a city survey?
The county commission provides fiscal oversight, approves major capital expenditures, and maintains accountability for operations through taxpayer-funded subsidies and bond financing. Legends Global handles the day-to-day operations, including event booking, facility maintenance, marketing, and safety compliance under a management contract.
- A couple of things worth noting for context: In March 2025, Escambia County approved a two-year contract extension with Legends Global while commissioning feasibility studies for renovations to address the facility’s aging infrastructure, including $10 million in approved upgrades for lighting, sound, and ice systems.
What’s under consideration: A comprehensive feasibility study commissioned by Escambia County reveals ambitious plans to modernize the aging Pensacola Bay Center and add two major new facilities that could generate nearly $60 million in annual economic impact for the region.
- The study by CSL and Legends Global was presented to the Escambia County Commission last month. It outlines a three-pronged approach: renovating the existing 40-year-old arena, building a new multipurpose event center, and constructing a practice ice rink—all connected as an integrated campus. See 2026 Bay Center Report.
- The city survey doesn’t include any renderings from the study or the estimated costs.
Take the Survey — But Keep Asking Questions
The PNJ reported on Friday that Pensacola residents were sent an email last week about the survey, but I’m having trouble finding many people who received it.
Please take the survey. It only takes a few minutes, and your voice should be part of the conversation. We don’t know how the mayor plans to use it as he tries to inject himself into the county’s deliberations.
- Let’s hope it goes better than his “negotiations” with the Board of County Commissioners on the demolition of abandoned Baptist Hospital.
The survey closes today, Monday, Feb. 16. Take it. We will continue asking the hard questions and write about how this plays out.