St. Johns County to Seek RFQs for WGV Development
- 31 May 2024
- Category: SJC News Economic Development
- Tags: WGV 2024
On May 21, the St. Johns Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved World Golf Village strategic recommendations and directed County staff to prepare for Board approval, a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to solicit proposals from developers to redevelop the WGV based on community input provided by the public through online surveys and public engagement meetings. The survey results and details about the WGV properties are available at www.sjcwgv.com. The BOCC will review the results of the RFQ at one of their future Regular Meetings, which will be open to the public.
The next steps outlined by staff to prepare the RFQ to solicit qualified proposals and developers will include the following:
- Define the site vision, concept, and goals, utilizing the findings from resident feedback.
- Establish selection criteria.
- Develop and publish the RFQ in October 2024.
- Conduct independent financial feasibility analysis of submitted proposals.
- Select a development partner with a goal of 1st quarter of 2025.
Following the transition of ownership of the IMAX Theater and World Golf Hall of Fame building in March, St. Johns County reaffirmed its dedication to keeping the IMAX Theater open to the public.
On April 16, the BOCC approved the $5.5 million purchase of all World Golf Foundation, Inc. (WGV) assets, including the Tour Production Building, WGV Parking, and WGV common space. This adds to the County’s ownership of the Hall of Fame, IMAX Theater, and the grounds of the World Golf Village Renaissance St. Augustine Resort Convention Center and Hotel.
The properties include:
- World Golf Hall of Fame: a 64,113 square-foot multi-purpose facility.
- World Golf Hall of Fame IMAX Theater: a 17,865-square-foot movie theater. The equipment (movie screen and audio/visual components) would remain in the building.
- PGA Tour Productions: a 32,329 square-foot Class-A office building.
- South Legacy Trail: 36.07 acres of parking lots, rights-of-way areas, landscaping, and lakes.
In June 2023, the World Golf Foundation notified St. Johns County of its intention to move the World Golf Hall of Fame and the World Golf Hall of Fame IMAX theater out of the World Golf Village and to relocate the PGA Tour Productions to a new building on the Global Home Campus.