In 2021, officials from the Intergovernmental Blueprint Agency committed $20 million in funding for repairs and renovations to Florida State University’s football stadium, Doak Campbell Stadium. Blueprint’s Intergovernmental Agency Board of Directors is a joint city-county commission charged with providing direction to Blueprint and the Office of Economic Vitality to create a sustainable and economically stable community.

Due to Blueprint officials committing $20 million in funding for the renovation of Doak Campbell Stadium, the subject continued to stir controversy in the city of Tallahassee. Members of the IA Board of Directors held a meeting on December 9, 2021 to vote against the interest of $6.45 million required to defer the bond or release the bond.

Many are concerned about OEV’s overall sustainability, pushing OEV to establish a strategic plan before releasing the bond.

Funding placed in the Doak Campbell Stadium renovations can be used to support other economic development projects that would benefit more citizens. The group of citizens who will benefit from the Doak Campbell Stadium renovations are a marginalized group, opposed to the majority of the community.

“I’m not opposed to Florida State receiving stadium renovation funding; however, I am opposed to where the money is coming from,” said community activist Whitfield Leland III. “Stadium repairs are not economic development.”

Leland is a community activist in Tallahassee and the CEO of G&L Global Enterprises.

Blueprint and OEV’s goal in the Tallahassee community is to ensure the citizens of the community have an environment that enhances quality of life, economic vitality, and nature. Funding for renovations to Doak Campbell Stadium does not meet the needs of the majority of Tallahassee citizens.

The failure to achieve economic progress that would benefit the quality of life of most citizens demonstrates that local leaders should be more involved to satisfy more community members.

“If funding is invested differently in the community, it should be a collective effort,” Leland said.

In February 2022, the annual economic forecast was held in Tallahassee, outlining several economic issues the local government could address by opposing the $20 million investment in Doak Campbell Stadium.

Funding provided to support Doak Campbell Stadium renovations would make a significant difference to other economic issues, such as labor shortages, supply chain challenges, inflation and more.