Amelia River Golf Course lease may change hands in November

Cindy Jackson

October 2, 2019

The dream of a number of Amelia Islanders appears to have come true. The fate of the Amelia River Golf Course looks like it will be transferred to two businessmen with strong ties to the community– Tom Miller and Steve Pickett.

Tom Miller is the owner of The Waterwheel Cigar Shop on First Coast Highway. Miller brought his vision to life back in 2012 with a grand opening during Memorial Day weekend. It’s a 3,000 square foot premier cigar store, complete with a distinctive interior featuring gorgeous leather club chairs, 5 huge flat panel TVs, free Wi-Fi and more than 500 facings of cigars. (For more details, visit their website at https://www.waterwheelcigar.com)

In addition, Miller has had, and continues to have a very successful career in the commercial real estate leasing industry. He is currently the Executive Managing Director at Newmark Knight Frank in Atlanta. And, almost needless to say, he is in fact, a long-time golf aficionado.

When reached by phone, Miller said, if all goes well before the City Commission, they hope to “assume the ground lease in November, they plan on keeping the golf course as is, making some improvements and getting the locals back.” Since word has gotten out about Miller and his team taking over, rumor has it that several lapsed members have already called to re-up their memberships.

One of his partners in this venture is another individual with strong family ties to Fernandina Beach. Joining him in this new project is Steve Pickett, of Pickett Construction fame who just happens to also be a native of Fernandina Beach. A custom home builder, Pickett has been in the construction industry for over 20 years. And his local ties run deep. He is a third-generation builder coming behind a grandfather and father who “built the brand” that is Pickett Construction. Pickett Construction is also a preferred builder of luxury homes on Crane Island, one of the newest developments in Fernandina Beach and the latest one to be built on the Intercoastal Waterway in over 15 years.

Editor's Note: Born in Hagerstown, Maryland, Cindy received her BA in Political Science from Dickinson College. Upon graduation, Cindy began her career on Capitol Hill working as a legislative aide and director. She later became a part of the public relations and lobbying team of the American Iron and Steel Institute and served as director of the office of state legislative affairs for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). Cindy was involved in economic development with the state of Maryland, and served as executive director of Leadership Washington County. As a community volunteer, Cindy participates in numerous volunteer activities serving as a member of Sunrise Rotary, and as board member of Cummer Amelia Board of Directors.