- May 5, 2024
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County considers beefing up amenities at Bings Landing.
The Flagler County Board of County Commissioners found itself divided June 6, when the issue of choosing a tenant to take over Bings Landing’s currently vacant bait-and-tackle shop came to the table.
“One of the failings of the previous tenant was that they just focused on bait and tackle, and they couldn’t make it work,” said Craig Coffey, county administrator. He proposed to negotiate a lease contract with a barbecue restaurant as well as a bait shop to beef up the park’s amenities.
Requests for proposals to run concessions were publicly advertised, and of the two received — one from Captain Mike’s Bait & Tackle and another from Captain’s BBQ and Bait & Tackle — staff recommended Captain’s BBQ, which agreed to make at least a $60,000 initial investment in the project.
Each vendor’s proposal offered kayak/canoe rentals, fishing tournaments, charter fishing/ecotours and fishing lessons, on top of bait, tackle and food sales at the eight-acre park along the Intracoastal Waterway, in the Hammock.
“I’m concerned about this becoming a barbecue restaurant,” said Commissioner Barbara Revels. “I don’t think that was the intent of the bait-and-tackle shop.”
Revels cited the added trash the facility would accumulate, as well as the parking it would require.
Chairman Alan Peterson worried about choosing a tenant before lease terms were decided. He also said he didn’t want to do anything that might harm the park.
“I don’t think there’s been enough information provided, and that’s what we’re struggling with,” echoed Commissioner Milissa Holland.
Commissioners Nate McLaughlin and George Hanns favored the solution.
“We need to be more proactive, I think,” Hanns said, citing the county’s goal to promote ecotourism. “We don’t want it so restrictive that we’re cutting off our nose to spite our face.”
The current bait-and-tackle facility has not been in service since before Christmas.
“From a staff standpoint, I’d hate to go down the road of a lease until we pick somebody,” Coffey said. “ … The lease needs a lot of work to come back as a final product.”
Revels moved to table the item for discussion at the next meeting, June 20, when more information and lease changes can be reviewed.
“I’d like to see a business plan,” she said.
Holland said: “I want to make sure that we recognize the fact that we’re going to provide a service to (park-goers), not just make a viable business out there,” she said.
Flagler County has owned Bing’s Landing since 1989.
