City consents to reassignment of Amelia River Golf Course lease

Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm

Reporter - News Analyst

October 17, 2019

At their October 15, 2019 Regular Meeting, Fernandina Beach City Commissioners (FBCC) voted unanimously to consent to the reassignment of the lease agreement for Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport property from Amelia River Golf, LLC to Amelia River Holdings, LLC.  This property was released by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 1999 for non-aeronautical uses; however, the income from the lease for this golf course goes into the Airport enterprise fund. 

The Lease limits the use of the property to a golf course and an option to construct lodging accommodations. The initial term of the Lease is thirty years which expires in five years. The Lease provides for two additional 20-year options for renewal, at the option of the lessee which essentially means there are possibly forty-five years remaining on this Lease.

The Lease agreement has been modified four times since 1994.  There were no new modifications added to the most recent reassignment.  The new lessee may continue to operate a golf course, add accommodations, and make other reasonably related changes.  It was agreed by the parties that adding a race track or a go kart course would not be considered a reasonably related change.

City Attorney Tammi Bach reported that the City has not received a response to its request for an Attorney General’s Opinion (AGO) on whether Mayor John Miller’s vote on matters related to Amelia River Golf would constitute a conflict of interest.  Miller works for another enterprise owned by the Sheffield family, the Amelia River Golf leaseholder.  However, she opined that based upon her research, there would be no conflict because Miller has no financial interest in the Golf Course.

The formal transfer of the lease to the new lessees is anticipated to occur within the next few weeks.

Editor's Note: Suanne Z. Thamm is a native of Chautauqua County, NY, who moved to Fernandina Beach from Alexandria,VA, in 1994. As a long time city resident and city watcher, she provides interesting insight into the many issues that impact our city. We are grateful for Suanne's many contributions to the Fernandina Observer.