Quick Hix Nix

It was a light, quick affair. It was the end of the Hixardt deal. For now, anyways.

“We want Pensacola to stay our home,” Mike Hicks, CEO of Hixardt Technologies, Inc., assured the Pensacola Community Redevelopment Agency board. “We want Pensacola to be our headquarters.”

Since 2011, the city’s CRA board—comprised of members of the Pensacola City Council—has been involved in an evolving agreement with Hixardt. The CRA has provided property—120 W. Government St.—at below-market price, in exchange for the technology company putting its office on the site and offering jobs in the area. The agreement has been amended several times at Hixardt’s request.

Prior to today’s meeting, Hicks was considering requesting an additional two year extension. He ended up asking that the agreement be canceled, but that parties “leave the door open” to revisit the matter later.

Hicks told the CRA board that his business—which just acquired two data companies in Atlanta and New Orleans—was focusing on expansion efforts. Perhaps later, he said, the company would be in a position to reassess the future prospects in Pensacola.

“I’m glad that you moved in that direction,” said Councilman Charles Bare, who made the motion to oblige the cancelation. “The two-years was really giving me some hesitancy in moving forward.”

Councilwoman Sherri Myers, who seconded the motion, stressed to Hicks that the CRA would be open to future negotiations.

“We have other sites, too, I might add,” she said, noting the city’s stock of available property. “We have lots of sites.”

CRA Chairman Brian Spencer said he appreciated that Hick’s company was in “acquisition mode,” thanked him for his commitment to the local community and left the door open for future negotiations.

“What you’ve made sure we haven’t had to do is close a door, lock a door,” Spencer said, “but rather leave that door open to you.”