Now that The Landing has fencing around it and her future is heading to the dump, we can all agree she will be missed.

Missed for so many reasons and the biggest one for me is the fact she served a purpose no other facility in Jacksonville served.

We could use the facility WITHOUT THE NEED FOR A CITY PERMIT.

When we held rallies to petition our government, the government couldn’t keep us from doing it. It was held on private property and we were free to negotiate the rental and usage.

That’s a big deal, friends.

And now there is no such place anymore that could hold that many people on the banks of a beautiful river setting. It’s gone.

But fear not — today we read in the Business Journal this article: The former Duval County Courthouse and City Hall Annex sites along East Bay Street are available for activities. These properties had buildings that were demolished (we paid for that) and now they are seeking groups to use the grassy space. But here’s the kicker, the article stated: “Fees are based on the specific event and its needs.”

I can only imagine what it would have been like for the tea party rallies to gain a permit and what the fees would have been based on the event and its needs? I’m sure it would have been difficult and expensive which might have precluded us from speaking our concerns and changing the landscape of politics in our country.

There are always consequences when government takes control or offsets properties with tax incentives. And now we will live with those consequences.

Thank you to The Landing owners, Sleiman Enterprises, for all the great events, rallies, parties and fireworks you gave freely to us. I will personally never forget your generosity to the citizens of Jacksonville.