Soccer complex valued at $3.5 million as city faces deadline to make a decision on future facilities

The soccer clock is ticking.

There's about nine months remaining on the scoreboard before the city of Fernandina Beach must break ground for new municipal airport hangars or keep the existing soccer and softball fields at Ybor Alvarez Sports Complex.

The city last week received an appraisal of the 15.25 acres of city owned airport land mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration for property that is used for non-airport related activities.

That market appraisal has pegged the land value at $3.5 million - up from the original estimate of $2.2 million. To keep the fields, the city is required to buy or lease the property with the money going into the city's airport fund and restricted to be used only by the airport.

The 15.25-acre parcel is located on the grounds of the Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport, a city-owned facility overseen by the FAA. While the land belongs to the city, federal law requires the city to compensate the airport fund — not the FAA — if it wants to use the property for non-aeronautical purposes.

Currently the city also has a federal grant in hand to build T-hangars - structures that efficiently accommodates small aircraft - on a portion of the parcel. Airport Contract Manager Nathan Coyle said the city should begin construction by August of next year or risk the possibility of losing the grant funding.

Last August, the head of youth soccer asked the city commission to detail a future plan for facilities before the holiday season.

“Uncertainties surrounding Ybor fields have presented planning challenges for years,” Soccer Director Toby Lentz told the commission. “As the process advances, we respectfully request the commission provide a framework within the next 90 days, outlining the proposed direction for these facilities and establishing some key milestones and target dates for decision points. We need a new, consolidated facility that is ready before we’re forced to leave.”

The original plan was to partner with Nassau County - which was paying for 50% of the costs - to build new soccer fields ay Ybor Alvarez where the existing softball fields are. The city planned to use Parks and Recreation impact fees to buy the land and fund the project. At the time the agreement was reached the land was valued at $2.2 million.

Since then, a new commission was seated and in an August commission workshop, commissioners balked at buying the land. The county currently is designing a new soccer complex, and the city is weighing whether to expand the county's soccer project to accommodate players from Ybor Alvarez. No cost considerations have been discussed.

City officials said if the Ybor Alvarez site becomes unavailable next year, soccer can be played at the Hickory Street fields until the county completes their new soccer facility.

What happens next may be discussed at Tuesday's city commission workshop, but a decision must be reached by the first quarter of 2026.