Florida speeds ahead with $83M purchase of waterfront Destin land

The landowner, Pointe Mezzanine and Pointe Resort, purchased the property for nearly $8 million in 2016 and 2017.

 Florida will pay more than $83 million for nearly four acres of waterfront property in Destin after Gov. Ron DeSantis and members of the Cabinet quickly approved the purchase Tuesday.

Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia expressed “concerns” about the sale, but he would not explain his reasoning. The Destin property was bundled with several other acquisitions approved by state officials.

Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson defended the transaction when asked about the decision.

“I wonder what it would look like with 250 condos on it,” Simpson said. “Now we will never have to imagine that.”

The transaction, which has been questioned by some environmentalists, was part of a proposed deal inserted into the state budget near the end of this year's negotiations. The landowner, Pointe Mezzanine and Pointe Resort, purchased the property for nearly $8 million in 2016 and 2017.

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