MERRILL BROTHERS INVEST IN PENSACON
Photo of three brothers: Will, Collier and Burney Merrill posing together.
around it, hotels fill up, restaurants and bars tap into it—it’s just a great shoulderseason event that benefits so many industries,” said Collier. “It's exciting, and to me, it's just another amenity that Pensacola has, like the Blue Wahoos or the opera and symphony— whether you go to them or not— they bring people in and benefit the culture.”
Transportation, is shutting down the interstate exit ramp behind the Bay Center so that the back-parking lot could be flattened out and the rear entrance could be made as easily accessible as the front entrance. That renovation could fix an accessibility issue, create a larger parking lot and give the convention more outdoor space to work with.
The Merrill brothers hope to alleviate some financial burden of the convention and hopefully give it room to grow. Additionally, the Pensacon headquarter offices are now located in the Seville Tower owned by the Merrill Land Company.
However, while Pensacon continues to push the Bay Center to its max capacity of 12,000 people inside, the convention is also utilizing as many smaller venues around the city as possible with shuttles transporting guests around downtown Pensacola. The venues include the Saenger Theatre, the Rex Theatre, Pensacola Little Theatre, the Pensacola Grand Hotel and the UWF Historic Trust buildings downtown.
When asked about the prospects of developing a multiuse arena or a larger convention center, Collier explained that they’re working with what they’ve got first. The "Space Oddities" Exhibition at the T.T. Wentworth Museum.
talking to Julio and showing him some of his props, and Julio really took to it. He did a really fantastic job collecting all of the stuff Burney had acquired from Tampa, California—all over. He even drove to Tampa to bring back a life size Gremlins prop and drove the whole way back with this little green creature strapped into his front seat.”
While the Merrill brothers have been decorating the restaurants for years and showcasing movie props, the decision to invest in the convention, as Collier explained, came from a place of not wanting to see a Pensacola staple shut down. “The convention is unique, and there is a great demand for having it downtown. Gallery Night always centers
“The convention has more room to grow. People talk about moving the convention somewhere else, and honestly, that's the last thing I want to do,” said Collier. “The Bay Center has good bones, and with a little bit of money, it could be fixed up. You know, some people say it should be knocked down, but I just don't think that's necessary.” One frequently discussed idea, after talking to the Florida Department of
As the partnership between the Merrill brothers and Mike Ensley grows, Pensacon is bound to undergo some modifications and expansions. Pensacon 2021 is set for Feb. 26-28 with VIP tickets on sale and guest announcements already being made, including a “Back To The Future” reunion.