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Freedom Beacon Tech Park approved for new Hilton hotel in Fort Walton Beach

During last night’s Fort Walton Beach City Council meeting, the major development order for phase 3 of the Freedom Beacon Tech Park in Fort Walton Beach was unanimously approved by council. Freedom Beacon Tech Park is a 50-acre mixed-use development, master-planned by The Jay Odom Group under a long-term land lease with the US Air Force.  […]

Freedom Beacon Tech Park rendering in Fort Walton Beach (The Jay Odom Group)

During last night’s Fort Walton Beach City Council meeting, the major development order for phase 3 of the Freedom Beacon Tech Park in Fort Walton Beach was unanimously approved by council.

Freedom Beacon Tech Park is a 50-acre mixed-use development, master-planned by The Jay Odom Group under a long-term land lease with the US Air Force.  The Jay Odom Group broke ground beginning the installation of the infrastructure for Freedom Beacon in 2021.  

  • This project boasts 1,500± linear feet of frontage along Lewis Turner Blvd and hopes to transform the north side of Fort Walton Beach into a bustling commerce center, bringing jobs, housing, hotel and meeting space accommodations, restaurants, Class A office space and a 4-acre recreational park to the local community.
Hilton Home2 Suites rendering that will be added as part of phase 3 at the Freedom Beacon Tech Park in Fort Walton Beach, Fl (The Jay Odom Group)

Phase 3 is for the addition of a Hilton Home2 Suites hotel that will be situated at the front of the property, closer to Lewis Turner Blvd. The 5-story, 126 room hotel includes all the amenities you would expect at a hotel such as a swimming pool, fitness center and 5,000 square feet of conference space. 

Developer Jay Odom told the council last night they they are anticipating a significant amount of conference business, from both the local area and from the military.

Additionally, Odom says they have also been awarded another hotel, a Holiday Inn Express, that will be directly across the street from the Home2 Suites. 

  • “We’ll end up with two nice hotels and we are working with several restaurants for out front,” said Odom.
Freedom Beacon Tech Park rendering in Fort Walton Beach (The Jay Odom Group)

As you can see in the rendering above, Freedom Beacon will have a very large flag pole onsite. Odom confirmed to the council last night that the flag pole will be 200-feet tall and will be the tallest in Florida. 

  • This should not come as a surprise to longtime residents of Fort Walton Beach. Odom is responsible for the 170-foot flag pole at Uptown Station.

The tech park also includes a 312 luxury apartment that was approved for Phase 2 and is already in talks with tech companies to setup shop in the park.

4 Responses

  1. I want to know is there going to be a road added that comes from Denton blvd to Lewis turner that will come out in front of this tech park

  2. There were tons of negative comments on the site Nextdoor – don’t know why. This is a great addition to the area. Not too big not too small. No highrises either.

  3. This is just another example of a rich property developer that has already been involved in atleast 1/2 dozen projects in okaloosa county including the uptown station project, which 1/2 of is vacant btw and several other local projects as well. I’m sure we will need to expand Denton blvd through the golf course and turn Lewis Turner into a 6 lane with a overpass.

  4. Why is the city council approving more places to stay when the roads infrastructure doesn’t adequately handle more cars???

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Community Comments

“I think that is a very wise decision to make. Safety first always”
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“Like it or not but Fort Walton Beach is dying, it's becoming just like Navarre but with some big box stores and no growth. All the shopping is in Walton...”
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“There's many examples of cities doing this and being later forced to later take them out. Essentially you have a constitutional right to face your accuser. Automated citations mean no...”
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“Kell- Aire Dr. Could definitely use some new lines on the street. TY”
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“11 mph is 50 percent of the typical school limit of 20 mph. Seems lax with most drivers cruising through school zones at 30 mph.”
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“I hope P Johnson gets to visit here so I can tell him to his face to keep his mouth shut about my town”
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“So an unknown third party, will have access to very clear images of all our kids?”
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“Automated speeding cameras to issue tickets should be illegal. The only people who benefit are the people collecting the money. The citizens of Fort Walton Beach need to vote those...”
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