This aerial view shows the World Golf Hall of Fame at World Golf Village in St. Augustine. | Visit St. Augustine
Published on January 9, 2025 at 4:52 pm
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The fate of the IMAX Theater in World Golf Village has been in question for years, but St. Johns County officials confirm that a discussion is likely this month about the theater and the rest of World Golf Village.
The theater’s closing ahead of schedule seemed to surprise even St. Johns County, which owns the building and leases it to the World Golf Foundation.
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Rumors emerged last year that the Theater would close, and the county responded that there were no plans to shut down the theater. So, when the theater operators abruptly posted on Facebook last month that “the end is here,” county officials quickly released a statement.
“St. Johns County is soliciting operators to keep the IMAX Theater at World Golf Village open,” they said. “This process was announced to refute inaccurate information posted on the theater’s social media about being closed to the public.”
As of today, the theater’s website shows there are no screenings scheduled.
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It’s now up to St. Johns County to find a new operator for the theater. So far, the county hasn’t found a replacement.
Options for IMAX and World Golf
The county ran a public request for proposals at the end of last year to try to find a new theater operator, but officials received just one bid — and the bid was rejected.
The bid came from HZIP LLC of Palm Coast, according to the Jacksonville Daily Record, a Jacksonville Today news partner. The contents of the bid, however, will not become public record until next month.
In the meantime, St. Johns County Director of Public Affairs Wayne Larson says people can expect discussion about the theater — and the rest of World Golf Village — later this month.
“There’s a lot to unpack, a lot to unravel,” Larson told Jacksonville Today. “We are still doing due diligence.”
After months of holding public surveys and listening sessions, the St. Johns County Commission agreed last year to move forward with a plan to purchase 37 acres at World Golf Village.
The county’s plan was to revitalize the area and find suitable replacements for the World Golf Hall of Fame and PGA Tour Studios, two tenants that have either left or are in the process of packing their bags.
But new information has come out since then, along with two new members on the County Commission. Larson now says the plan is to bring the fate of World Golf Village back for a public discussion during the next regular County Commission meeting this month.
“We’ll present options to the new board as to what’s next,” Larson said.
That meeting will be in the County Auditorium at 500 San Sebastian View at 9 a.m. Jan. 21. The meeting will be open to the public and also broadcast live on the county’s website.
