FFA Foundation has put its rural Polk, lakeside Leadership Training Facility on the market

People in Polk County’s agricultural community have an abundance of memories from summers spent at the Polk County FFA Leadership Training Facility along Firetower Road.

So when a digital “for sale” sign appeared on the SVN Saunders Ralston Dantzler website, people with agricultural roots in the county feared the worst but hoped and prayed for the best – a proposal to keep the storied enterprise afloat in rural Haines City.

“As a student, I had many summer camps there,” said Justin Sharpless, an agricultural professor and member of the Polk County School Board.

“Also as a young adult, I was a camp counselor and also worked out there in maintenance for nearly a year,” he said. “That place is very near and dear to my heart.”

Sharpless said that, as an educator, he takes students to the LTC frequently and so does his wife, who is a school teacher.

Dean Saunders said his real estate firm in Lakeland listed the property to help the FFA Foundation find a solution to its recent economic hardships.

“We've gone to market just to solicit proposals from people,” Saunders said by phone Wednesday. “I think they would consider anything that made sense.”

He deferred further details to the FFA Foundation, which owns the property.

The listing by Saunders says the 114-acre Central Florida Lakeside Retreat and Conference Center is requesting proposals.

The property boasts “an array of amenities and a picturesque setting.” The retreat could be used by various recreational ventures, including non-profit organizations, RV resorts or government agencies.

“The main lodge boasts hotel-style accommodations and breathtaking views of Lake Pierce,” the listing said. There are also seven adjacent villas, with two distinct layouts, for a retreat and private getaway for guests.

The resort has an outdoor pavilion and dock with storage on Lake Pierce for outdoor recreation, such as lakeside picnics or boating adventures. The conference center offers a venue for team-building activities and a clay shooting course.

The property is suitable for an investor or a nonprofit organization.

Meanwhile, the nuts and bolts of the foundation’s mission is to provide grants and scholarships to students interested in farming, and that skill set may not include resort management.

At the request of The Ledger, Hillary W. Holly, director of development at the Florida FFA Foundation emailed the following statement:

“For many years, the Florida FFA Foundation has been fortunate to own and operate the Florida FFA Leadership Training Center (LTC), an asset that is unique to FFA in our state.

“Recently, the Foundation Board of Directors determined that it would be in the best interest of the Foundation to explore opportunities to increase the leverage and performance of that asset, while also working to maintain the vision, mission and purpose of the LTC.

“While conversations are still in their infancy, board members have been tasked with exploring opportunities within the marketplace, including both public and private partnerships," she said. "Likewise, we have enlisted the help of industry professionals to help us produce and distribute marketing materials showcasing our unique facility.

"It is our hope that potential opportunities would lead to a partnership that could include full usage of the facility by FFA at designated times of the year, but also relieve the foundation of the operational burden of a facility year-round.

"It would be our intention to also maintain continued donor recognition and visibility, as the facility remains in use for its intended purposes for many years to come and perhaps most of all, provides the opportunity for exponential growth and support of the Florida FFA Foundation.

"Throughout this process, the Foundation remains committed to their mission of securing and managing resources in order to support agricultural education and the Florida FFA Association. Day-to-day operations at the LTC will continue as scheduled and planned.

According to the Florida FFA Foundation website, the FFA provides funding to students to make a positive difference in their lives and help them with their career growth and educational preparations. Further, the state FFA Foundation is a resource to its local chapters and does not control local chapter activities.

The request for proposals process will close Aug. 8, according to Holly.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: FFA training center in eastern Polk is up for sale