Town Hall: Shrimp Festival, Amelia River Cruise operator voice concerns about City Brett's demolition

The owner of one of the longest, river dependent businesses in the city and the chairman of the annual Eight Flags Shrimp Festival aired their concerns about the planned demolition of Brett's Waterway Cafe next January.

Kevin McCarthy, owner of Amelia Island Cruises and Scott Inglis, chair of Shrimp Festival, were among the speakers at Tuesday's city town Hall meeting regarding the future of the marina space once Brett's is torn down.

Kevin McCarthy Amelia Island Cruises

"I'll be most impacted by this entire project. You have to understand for them to dismember Brett's my whole operation will have to move and relocate," McCarthy said. "Tearing down Brett's is a necessity; I've been listening to it falling apart for years. Anything that we build upland from the marina should be marina related. The marina connects us to the world; the highway is the river. There are 35 businesses that make a living on the waterfront. Any structure on that riverfront should be marina related."

The city-owned Brett’s Waterway Café building will be demolished in January following the expiration of its lease at the end of December.

The 30-minute session highlighted public consensus on preserving public access to the river, supporting marina-related uses, and ensuring transparent decision-making.

Shrimp Festival Chairman: Minimize Disruption, Preserve Fundraising

Among the most vocal participants was Scott Inglis, chair of the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival Committee. He requested that any demolition or redevelopment work be carefully timed to avoid interfering with the city’s marquee annual event.

"It is our hope that with open lines of communication between us and the city, we can work together to lessen the impact on the festival and make adjustments as necessary," Inglis said. "As far as future use of this area, to save money, install an open deck that would provide views of our beautiful sunsets and allow for temporary markets, similar to Mallory Square in Key West."

Last year, the festival raised more than $150,000 for local non-profits, much of it through food booths stationed in the Brett’s area.

ShrimpFest Chair Scott Inglis

Inglis specifically asked the city to:

• Pause construction from April 30 to May 3, 2026.

• Avoid any groundbreaking activity within two weeks of the festival.

• Adjust property security fencing to keep access open to marina parking lots A and B.

• Store all construction materials off-site to free up space.

• Preserve dock access for shrimp boat public tours.

Community speakers Support Phased Redevelopment, Deck Space

Multiple speakers urged a phased approach to redevelopment, allowing time for funding discussions and exploring potential public/private partnerships. One suggestion involved reusing demolition debris to create an artificial reef offshore, benefiting local marine habitats.

Several residents backed the concept of building a large public deck at the site, pre-wired for electricity to accommodate future events and vendors.

"I believe we should choose the option of the largest deck space proposed to give us greater flexibility in the future," said Michael Sharpe. "Nobody will ever say that they made the deck space too large. I would also advocate for pre-wiring electricity to allow for future use for music events that would be great there."

While many acknowledged that a waterfront restaurant has proven successful in the past, they agreed that any new commercial venture should be deferred until financing and planning align. But other said the city should avoid the same pitfalls that dogged the Brett's lease.

Concerns About Finances, Oversight, and Marina Access

The town hall also served as a sounding board for broader frustrations with city operations, especially in connection with marina maintenance and oversight.

Comments included:

• Delays in fuel pump repairs, which have cost the city revenue.

• Oversight failures, such as unpaid rent by Atlantic Seafood.

• A city-owned park space rendered largely unusable due to mud accumulation.

• A city-adjacent vacant lot that remains unsold and underutilized.

• Former City Commissioner Phil Chapman proposed selling the marina to a private company including the Brett's footprint. "Instead of us paying our tax money out, somebody is going to be paying tax money in," he said.