JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Culinary Institute of America has selected Jacksonville as the location for its future Southeast hub, marking a major milestone in the city’s efforts to transform downtown into a destination for residents, visitors and the hospitality industry.
City council members confirmed the decision to News4JAX reporter Briana Brownlee and photojournalist Jesse Hanson, weeks after the Culinary Institute of America’s board met to decide whether Jacksonville would become its Southeast campus.
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Now, city leaders say the focus shifts from landing the project to making it a reality.
“It’s not just for Jacksonville, it’s not just for Florida, it’s pretty much for everything south of Virginia and as far west as I think for Mississippi,” said Downtown Councilman Jimmy Peluso. “We are going to be this massive hub for the Culinary Institute of America, and since we got selected, it’s kind of putting the ball back in our court, or at least the Downtown Investment Authority’s court, to negotiate a deal with CIA, to figure out okay we know CIA wants to come here, let’s make sure we have a package that helps build out their campus.”
The proposed Culinary Institute of America campus is planned as part of a $160.5 million hotel and convention center development at 330 E. Bay St. on Jacksonville’s riverfront. Developers envision the school serving as the anchor tenant while helping attract tourism, conventions, and hospitality-related businesses to downtown.
Although Jacksonville has been selected, several major steps remain before the campus becomes a reality.
The Downtown Investment Authority must negotiate a final agreement with the Culinary Institute of America, including plans for the campus, the property it will occupy and the overall redevelopment agreement.
Peluso said city leaders are also discussing a temporary location where the school could operate while a permanent campus is built.
“What is going to be the done deal, though, is when we kind of negotiate what this building is going to look like, what the parcel looks like, and for CIA, they are probably going to have to get a temporary site for a year or two while that building gets developed. So that’s the next conversation,” Peluso said.
Once negotiations are complete, the redevelopment agreement will return to the Jacksonville City Council for final approval.
What about the funding?
Last month, the Jacksonville City Council voted 16-2 to approve an emergency ordinance endorsing up to $35 million in incentives tied to the proposed project.
At the time, city leaders stressed the vote did not immediately authorize spending. Instead, it allowed Jacksonville to present a financial package while negotiations continued.
“And when it comes to the dollars that we are going to commit, those dollars we already set aside those dollars- it’s not any money coming out of any reserves or the general fund.” Peluso said. “These are dollars that were already set aside about a year ago, so this isn’t affecting the taxpayer today.”
The Culinary Institute of America is considered one of the nation’s premier culinary schools, training chefs, restaurateurs and hospitality leaders.
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Supporters say a Southeast campus would bring far more than classrooms to Jacksonville. They believe it could strengthen the region’s hospitality workforce, support hotels and conventions, attract visitors and become another catalyst for downtown redevelopment.
The project is one of several major developments planned for downtown, joining Riverfront Plaza and the Pearl Square redevelopment as city leaders work to create a more active urban core.