Decision upcoming about the future of the Lee Civic Center

Reporter: Zach Oliveri Writer: Drew Hill
Published: Updated:
Lee Civic Center
Lee Civic Center

In just days, we could hear about the next steps for the Lee Civic Center. Lee County Commissioners will meet this week to discuss.

Commissioners could approve an assessment of the property.

Renovate or replace is the question that Lee County Commissioners are trying to answer regarding the future of the Lee Civic Center.

Mike Peak is the SWFL and Lee County Fair Board of Directors President. “You can see the exterior metal is deteriorating, and of course, inside several years ago, the bleachers were deemed unusable for safety reasons,” said Peak.

The commission is considering structural assessment to figure out the center’s future. If approved, the County will have Weston and Hampton Engineers take a comprehensive look at the Civic Center itself and the other 13 buildings on the property.

The goal of the assessment is to determine the best course of action for the facility to host its events. Peak says within the past year, this has been a common occurrence.

“We had a civic center rental last weekend. We had a civic center rental this weekend. And we got a civic center rental next weekend,” Peak said.

The proposed assessment comes as the County’s one-year deal with the Lee County Fair to maintain and manage the facility is set to end in October.

“Whatever they decide, whether it’s remodeling the structure or whatever we want to stay partners with them and continue with our agreements that we’ve had and make best use of it,” said Peak.

The Lee County Commission will vote on the contract this coming Tuesday. If it is approved, the assessment will take seven months to complete.

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