FORT WALTON BEACH — Local quilt shows, antique sales and fish fries at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Rigdon Center, formerly known as the Northwest Florida Fairgrounds, will soon take place in upgraded facilities after Okaloosa County commissioners unanimously approved a construction contract for a new concession and restroom building, marking a significant milestone in the county’s multi-year effort to revitalize the historic property.
The project, approved earlier this month, carries a total cost of $1.89 million, a figure corrected during the Jan. 6 commission meeting after Tourism Director Jennifer Adams identified a clerical error in the agenda packet that omitted roughly $21,000 for kitchen hood equipment.
Joy Gordon Construction will complete the work under a $1.51 million contract, while the county will directly purchase primary materials, including the metal building, concrete, HVAC units, and kitchen equipment, to reduce taxes and contractor markups.
“This is a great addition to our Phase 1 project,” Deputy County Administrator Craig Coffey said. “This will add a huge component to making the facility very functional.”
The 3,244-square-foot structure will include two catering kitchens that can operate independently or together, a concession kitchen capable of supporting all-day food and beverage sales during events, and new restrooms accessible from both indoor event halls and outdoor areas.
Commissioner Sherri Cox asked during the meeting whether county taxpayers would bear any of the cost.
“It’s all 100% bed tax tourism dollars,” Coffey said.
The project is the latest step in a process that began several years ago, when the fairgrounds’ future was uncertain.
In 2020, the Fort Walton Beach City Council considered declaring the property surplus, but instead opted to explore a sale or lease that would preserve public use. By July 2022, Okaloosa County officials cited several reasons for acquiring the site, including its size, location and potential use as a staging area during hurricanes and other emergencies.
The county closed on the 20.42-acre property in June 2023 for $4.05 million, using tourist development tax revenue generated by a 5% bed tax on overnight lodging.
At the time, Commissioner Trey Goodwin said the purchase prevented the loss of a long-standing community asset.
“We were able to leverage the resources in our county to preserve that property as a community asset,” Goodwin said. “I think it’s really fulfilling that purpose.”
Total county investment in the property is now approaching $6 million to $7 million, according to staff.
To guide redevelopment, the Okaloosa County Commission unanimously created a seven-member Fairgrounds Advisory Committee in 2023.
Each commissioner appointed one member, while the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce and the Northwest Florida Fair Association each nominated a representative. The Fort Walton Beach city manager serves as a non-voting, ex officio member.
“There is no better way to make sure we get this right than to have a community stakeholder advisory committee,” Goodwin said when the panel was formed.
The committee advises the commission on both short-term upgrades and long-range planning.
Since assuming control of the fairgrounds, county crews and contractors have focused on addressing decades of deferred maintenance. Officials estimate that about $1.5 million has already been invested in upgrades, much of it completed in-house.
Improvements include new HVAC systems, underground electrical service, modern fire alarms, lighting upgrades, roofing repairs, and structural work across multiple buildings.
During a January tour of the facility, Parks Director Jeff Peters said many of the buildings were sound but functionally obsolete.
“They had good bones,” Peters said of the building. “But failing systems, leaks, condensation, and outdated electrical systems made them hard to use.”
The fairgrounds’ largest indoor venue, Building B, offers approximately 12,000 square feet of space. Adams said the facility is increasingly positioned as a complement to the Destin–Fort Walton Beach Convention Center.
“We’ve outgrown the convention center,” she said at the Jan. 6 meeting, noting the fairgrounds could host cheer competitions, tournaments and large gatherings that currently leave the county.
At the Jan. 6 meeting, Commissioner Carolyn Ketchel supported the new construction but urged staff to keep rental costs affordable for local organizations.
“I’ve had so many complaints over the years that the convention center costs so much money that it has run our locals out,” Ketchel said. “Please do everything you can to keep the cost down.”
Adams said several events have already migrated from the convention center to the fairgrounds, and the facility is now booking multi-year contracts.
Community events currently hosted at the site include Vietnam veterans gatherings, fish fries, and local celebrations.
“It’s still going to be the fairgrounds,” Public Information Officer Nick Tomecek said. “It’s just going to be better.”
Additional Phase 1 improvements are already in motion. Facade and entrance upgrades are nearly ready for bidding, flooring bids have been received, and an audio-visual technology package is expected to come before commissioners in early 2026.
County officials said renovations will continue in stages over the coming years and are being scheduled to avoid disrupting existing events.
“This is an investment that will last generations,” Tomecek said.
Pro Communi Bono
St. Francis De Sales, Ora Pro Nobis!
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