Three-year lease path for the arts hotel got backing as tourist-tax money entered the talk

Commissioners on March 2 signaled support for a three-year lease extension on the former hotel and old city hall, now run by the St. Johns Cultural Council. Staff is to bring an amended lease back later.

Executive Director Jeff Potts tied the short extension to a pending $750,000 National Park Service grant. Staff said drawing the federal money could put a 10- to 20-year historic-preservation restriction on the city-owned building.

Resident Susan Brady said Anastasia Island already sees more than 30 percent of the county bed tax and asked that some of it come back.

No lease was adopted that night. The city stayed in the historic-building landlord business while grants, bed-tax ideas, and operating shortfalls got sorted.