The fate of city council’s $12 million incentive package for Winn-Dixie will remain undecided as council members want more time to nail down legislation language.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The fate of the $12 million incentive package to keep Winn-Dixie’s headquarters in Jacksonville remains up in the air as the Jacksonville City Council holds a community meeting to discuss the matter.

Councilwoman Ju’Coby Pittman organized the meeting at City Hall on Friday. She was joined by her council colleagues, Joe Carlucci, Ron Salem, Jimmy Peluso, Raul Arias, and Nick Howland. She said she wanted to make sure members of the community got the chance to speak their minds and representatives from Winn-Dixie could hear their concerns.

“I don’t think they were being unreasonable. I do think this is a very important part of any discussion in any legislation is to hear from the people because we definitely want a solution.” Pittman explained.


Brentwood store to remain open

Pittman and her colleagues were concerned to learn of Winn-Dixie’s plans to close the Harvey’s on W. 48th St. in Jacksonville’s Brentwood neighborhood. If the store were to close, the community would become a food desert. Because of those concerns, the company has agreed to keep that store open for at least three more years under its lease while discussions continue with the city. The plan is to rebrand it as a Winn-Dixie.


City council changes

Winn-Dixie has now agreed to put additional stipulations on store closures. If a store closes in an economically distressed area, the grocer said it will open another one within 18 months.

Councilman Raul Arias thinks the 18-month window to open a new store in a community that already does not have enough fresh food options is too long.

“If we’re going to have the provision of 18 months, I’m not voting on this again. It needs to be in a timely manner to make sure they don’t have a food desert for two years sitting in that district,” Arias explained.

Councilman Ron Salem wants language added to the incentive package legislation that includes keeping stores stocked with fresh meats and vegetables.

“Keeping a store open is one thing, but keeping a store open as a full-service store would be my concern anywhere in town,” Salem said.


What’s in the $12 million incentive package?

The city is considering giving Winn-Dixie a Recapture Enhanced Value grant of up to $5.5 million over 20 years, which is based on a portion of the city’s property tax revenue generated by the project. It is also considering a separate headquarters retention grant totaling $6.5 million over five years.

In return, Winn-Dixie has proposed adding 200 full-time jobs to their headquarters location and retaining all 500 existing employees. The grocer also said it plans to invest $65 million by the end of 2031, with approximately $48 million of that going to store renovations.


Peluso floats additional incentives

Councilman Jimmy Peluso floated the idea of another amendment that would create additional incentives for Winn-Dixie if the company opens more stores in communities that are underserved or existing food deserts.

“I’d be willing to add an additional incentive to Winn-Dixie if they open up future grocery stores within 32209. And I want to craft that language a little bit better by the time it gets to finance, but I’m willing to accept that it might not be financially easy to do right this second, but if within the next five years they open up a grocer or two, I’d be willing to have there be another incentive,” Peluso explained.

Peluso said he would be willing to offer $1 to $2 million in additional incentives. Some of his colleagues did not agree that the timing was right to do something like this.

Pittman said this legislation will need more time before going before the full city council. She said it could be another few weeks before they agree.

Senior Director of Communications and Community for The Winn-Dixie Company, Meredith Hurley, provided First Coast News the following statement:

“We can confirm that we are delaying the previously anticipated mid-May closure of the Harveys Supermarket located at 201 W. 48th St. as we continue conversations with the City of Jacksonville.
 
We have listened closely to our customers, and we remain committed to exploring every viable opportunity to continue serving the Brentwood community. We do not take any decisions that affect this community lightly, which is why we have invested, and will continue to invest, in our nearby full-service Winn-Dixie store located less than one mile away at 5210 Norwood Ave. While we are in discussions, we remain focused on evaluating solutions with city leaders to determine how best to meet this community’s needs.
 
As part of those discussions, The Winn-Dixie Company has requested City support related to a proposed $12 million incentive package to retain our Store Support Center in Jacksonville. That support would help enable a commitment to a $65 million capital investment by The Winn-Dixie Company in our hometown of Jacksonville through continued investment in and renewal of stores in Duval County, our Edgewood campus and job creation over the next five years.
 
While discussions are ongoing and no final decisions have been made, the store will remain open as we continue to evaluate all available options, with a focus on serving our customers and supporting our associates.
 
We recognize the importance of this store to our associates, customers and the neighborhood, and we appreciate the engagement and passion shown by community members. While many variables can affect next steps throughout this process, we will continue to share timely updates as any decisions are made.”