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Jacksonville Daily Record 8/6/26

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AUGUST 6 TO AUGUST 12, 2026 | JAXDAILYRECORD.COM

BUSINESS & LEGAL NEWS IN BAKER, CLAY, DUVAL, NASSAU AND ST. JOHNS COUNTIES

INSIDE

LEADERSHIP

CEO SHAKEUP

Karen Feagins selected WJCT president and chief executive PAGE 3

Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s Nat Ford and Downtown Vision Inc.’s Jake Gordon are out; JEA’s Vickie Cavey is taking leave. What’s next for the city’s leadership?

CONVENIENCE STORES

Plans for Fruit Cove Daily’s withdrawn PAGE 9 Established in 1955 as the Jacksonville Expressway Authority, the JTA was created in 1971 to oversee public transportation in Duval County. Serving more than 1 million residents and businesses in Northeast Florida, JEA is the largest municipal utility in Florida and one of the biggest in the nation. DVI’s board includes members representing real estate, economic development, government, small businesseses, healthcare and other sectors.

HOTELS BY RIC ANDERSON EDITOR

W

ith a series of announcements in July, leadership at the top level of three publicly funded organizations in Jacksonville spun into flux. On July 3, Jacksonville Transportation Authority CEO Nat Ford announced he would step down in January

from the organization he had led for more than 13 years. Ten days later, news outlets in Dallas unofficially identified him as the Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s choice for its next CEO, which DART made official July 21. Following Ford’s resignation from JTA, Downtown Vision Inc. CEO Jake Gordon announced July 7 he was stepping down effective Sept. 30.

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Then came the July 29 announcement that JEA CEO Vickie Cavey was taking a leave of absence for at least two weeks but no more than 60 days. It had been more than a year since even one similar organization underwent a leadership change, which occurred when former Downtown Investment Authority SEE CEO, PAGE 12

Four-story, 143-room hotel proposed near The Village at Seven Pines The hotel site is along Buckfield Circle, south of the shopping center and north of residential development. PAGE 4

THE MATHIS REPORT

LAW AND THE COURTS

Pearl Square Marriott in permitting at closed Ambassador Hotel

2026 High School Essay Contest seeking submissions

The city of Jacksonville is reviewing a permit application for Gateway Jax to renovate the historic Ambassador Hotel at 420 N. Julia St. Downtown. PAGE 6

Entries will be accepted through Sept. 23, 2026. PAGE 14

VOLUME 113, NO. 39 | TWO SECTIONS | PUBLISHED SINCE 1912


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