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Academy Sports & Outdoors submits plans to open new store in Fort Walton Beach

Academy Sports & Outdoors is set to open a new location in Fort Walton Beach, occupying a building that previously housed Walmart and more recently ResortQuest/Vacasa.
Photo Source: Franklin Street

Academy Sports & Outdoors is preparing to open a new store at 546 Mary Esther Cut Off NW in Fort Walton Beach, taking over a building with a varied history of occupants, according to documents submitted to the City of Fort Walton Beach.

  • The sporting goods retailer will occupy the space that was once a Walmart and later split between ResortQuest/Vacasa and Liza Jackson Preparatory School. The school has since relocated to a new facility.

According to obtained documents, the project involves a complete buildout of the existing structure.

Site work includes resurfacing and restriping the parking lot west of the building, as well as expanding the eastern parking lot and truck docking area. The total project area spans approximately 131,241 square feet, with a sales floor area of 56,413 square feet.

The city has issued two permits for the project. An alteration build out permit was issued on Aug. 22, 2024, for the Academy Sports buildout, with the value of the permitted work at $4,300,000. 

  • A parking lot permit was issued on Aug. 19, 2024, for resurfacing and restriping, with the value of this work at $75,000. 

Construction work is currently underway at the property. However, an opening date for the new Academy Sports & Outdoors store has not been announced.

A 37,087 sq.ft. space is available for lease next to Academy Sports and Outdoors.

Photo Source: Franklin Street
PROMOTION

6 Responses

  1. This is an excellent! What used to be empty will be filled with families getting stuff to play outdoors
    I love it!

  2. Finally something useful in town!!! I think we are all sick of oil change shops and storage units. Now let’s put a Texas Roadhouse at the old Friday’s location

  3. Did we used to have an Academy Sports Store here? I seem to remember one on the Cut-off but I could be wrong.

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“Adding insult to injury, our county government owns all kinds of property....acres and acres....even parcels out in the middle of no where. We are talking $$$$$MILLIONS. Where did they get...”
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“Adding insult to injury, our county government owns all kinds of property....acres and acres....even parcels out in the middle of no where. We are talking $$$$$MILLIONS. Where did they get...”
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“County taxes went up 116% (more than doubled) from 2017 to 2026. Did your pay go up that much?? Government keeps getting more and we keep getting less of our...”
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“Does anyone else think that On the Coast should print captions underneath photos?”
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“Robert…. Damn straight!!! Who gets the money after the sale?? There was a big sign outside the Mary Esther elementary school touting how the half cent sales tax improved the...”
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“Technically, We the People of Crookaloosa County own that property, not the school board. Every government elected EMPLOYEE HAS FORGOTTEN THEY ARE EMPLOYEES... THEY WORK FOR US!!! Is the school...”
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“I was able to order this time. Thanks”
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“I tried ordering the shirts. It says it is spam and will not let me order.”
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“LOVE THE PUZZLE AND THE EFFORTS”
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Michael Cobb commented on WordroW: October 1, 2026
“3:16”
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