PALM BAY, Fla. – The City of Palm Bay has formally opened its search for an outside organization to take over the Palm Bay Aquatic Center, just one month before the city-owned pool is scheduled to close to the public on November 30.
The city announced Wednesday that it posted a Request for Qualifications, Solicitation No. 01-RFQ-27, on October 26. The solicitation seeks qualified organizations or partnerships interested in assuming operational responsibility for the facility at 420 Community College Parkway SE.
Questions about the solicitation are due by 5 p.m. on November 9, 2026. Qualifications must be submitted electronically through the city’s Bonfire procurement portal by December 1, 2026, one day after the pool is set to close. According to the city, the RFQ seeks a sustainable approach to the operation, management, programming, and/or use of the facility.
Months of Debate Over the Pool’s Future
The RFQ is the latest step in a months-long fight over the future of the Aquatic Center that has drawn packed council chambers, emotional public comment, and pushback from parents, swimmers, and former employees.
At an August 4 council meeting, city staff said the draft Fiscal Year 2027 budget contemplated temporarily closing the Aquatic Center for at least one year while staff explored alternative funding and partnerships. Staff estimated the facility’s annual operating cost at roughly $769,000 and its capital needs at about $1.7 million. Council directed staff to pursue partnership options before any final closure.
Days later, staff told council the pool faced an approximately $729,000 annual operating shortfall and was tentatively marked for closure of up to a year beginning October 1 unless organizations or sponsors stepped forward to help cover operations.
The proposal drew immediate opposition. At least one resident told council she had only learned of the closure plan the day before the meeting. Former employees, athletes, and parents described the pool as a community asset that supports swim lessons, competitive swim programs, lifeguard jobs, and youth employment.
Heated Budget Debate
The pool remained at the center of the city’s budget fight into September. The Palm Bay City Council adopted its final FY 2026-27 budget following extended public testimony on the Aquatic Center, with council members citing competing priorities including police, fire, infrastructure, and reserves.
According to Spectrum News 13, the city is addressing a budget shortfall of nearly $20 million. City staff proposed closing the pool to save about $700,000 in operating costs and to delay nearly $2 million in facility repairs. The city also diverted money from its shut-down Flock license plate camera program to keep the Aquatic Center open into November.
Families told the station that a closure would end swim lessons at the facility and eliminate lifeguard jobs.
Supporters of the pool also took their case to the Brevard County School Board. According to Florida Today, several community members asked the school board to help keep the facility open, and school board member Katye Campbell said Palm Bay council members had agreed to keep the pool open into November to accommodate swim teams.
Closure Set for November 30
In late September, the city announced the Aquatic Center would close to the public on November 30 while it searches for a partner to take over operations. At the time, the city was facing roughly $700,000 in annual operating costs for the pool and $2 million in needed repairs while cutting its overall budget by about $15 million, Florida Today reported.
The city launched a dedicated Aquatic Center information page and hosted a public presolicitation meeting at the Aquatic Center on October 7, where prospective respondents could learn about the facility, the city’s objectives, and the procurement process and ask questions. The city said its goal is to maintain and enhance aquatic recreation opportunities for residents and visitors while minimizing the financial impact to taxpayers.
The city’s Aquatic Center webpage now notes that the facility will close after November 30 due to funding issues and that the city is hopeful of reopening in the spring under a new operator. Winter hours run November 2 through November 30.
How to Respond to the RFQ
Organizations interested in operating the pool can review supporting documents, including historical operating costs, revenue information and trends, original facility plans and design information, a current facility condition assessment, and existing programming and operational information, on the city’s Aquatic Center Future Operations webpage.
Official solicitation documents and submission requirements are available through the city’s Bonfire procurement portal. Respondents may be required to create a free Bonfire account to access the documents and submit qualifications.
Key dates:
- October 26, 2026: RFQ No. 01-RFQ-27 posted
- November 9, 2026, 5 p.m.: Questions due
- November 30, 2026: Aquatic Center scheduled to close to the public
- December 1, 2026, 11 a.m.: Submittal opening
- December 1, 2026: Qualifications due through Bonfire (the city’s page lists a 9 p.m. deadline)
The Space Coast Rocket will continue to follow the future of the Palm Bay Aquatic Center.
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