🌊 Florida’s $83 million Norriego Point purchase sparks local transparency concerns
🏛️ Destin council demands public meetings and direct talks with state officials
💰 Developer with political ties stands to make millions from the sale
DESTIN — As the State of Florida moves forward with an $83 million purchase of four acres of beachfront land on Norriego Point, the Destin City Council is calling for complete public transparency and direct state involvement in determining how the property will be managed.
The land deal, approved by the Florida Cabinet on October 1, could bring a windfall of up to $83.3 million to developer Bobby Guidry and his associates, far exceeding the county’s assessed value of $10.5 million. Guidry, a convicted felon and prominent political donor, owns the property through Pointe Mezzanine LLC.
The purchase drew sharp local attention not just for its cost, but for what comes next, and how little the city of Destin has been formally included in the process.
At a city council meeting on Monday, City Manager Larry Jones informed members that a proposed county-led “State Park Working Group” had been withdrawn after disagreements over whether its meetings should be held publicly under Florida’s Sunshine Law.
City Attorney Kimberly Kopp clarified that while a county staff member had pulled the request, the Okaloosa County Board of Commissioners had not taken a formal vote to end it.
That uncertainty prompted Councilman Jim Bagby to make two key motions: first, to appoint Mayor Pro Tem Dewey Destin as the city’s representative if the county restarts the working group; and second, to hold a public workshop during the week of January 12, regardless of whether the county participates.
“It’s in everybody’s interest that we do this in the sunshine and do it publicly,” Bagby said. “We need to get the public’s input. I’d like for it to be joint, so we all hear the same thing together.”
Both motions passed unanimously, with every council member, including Rodney Braden, Torey Geile, Kevin Schmidt, and Sandy Trammell, in support.
everal members criticized the county’s handling of the potential park deal.
Councilman Schmidt described the entire process as “a very shady and odd situation,” adding that Destin should deal directly with the state rather than through Okaloosa County staff.
“I don’t want to hear from the county right now about something that they don’t even own,” Schmidt said. “If the state is buying it, I want to listen to what the state is saying.”
Councilmen Geile and Braden echoed those concerns. Geile suggested recording any meetings with county staff “to make sure we’re protected,” while Braden accused county officials of working “underhanded, hand in hand.”
Mayor Pro Tem Destin agreed with the need for caution but urged cooperation when possible.
“We need to go forward working hand in hand with the commission,” Destin said, “but we also have to make sure we’re acting in the best interest of the citizens of Florida and Okaloosa County.”
The council also directed Jones to reach out directly to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and State Sen. Jay Trumbull (R–Panama City), whose district includes Okaloosa County, to learn the state’s plans for the site.
Councilwoman Trammell suggested inviting Trumbull or DEP representatives to the January 12 workshop.
Jones agreed, saying the city must “avoid getting caught sitting on our hands” while state agencies finalize the purchase.
“What we don’t want,” Jones said, “is to wake up one day and find a management agreement contrary to our best interests.”
The Florida Cabinet’s October vote, comprising Gov. Ron DeSantis, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, Attorney General Ashley Moody, and Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, authorized the use of leftover funds to purchase several environmentally sensitive properties statewide.
Among them: the Norriego Point parcel in Destin, listed as “Item 4F” on the Cabinet’s agenda.
Ingoglia opposed that portion of the vote, arguing that the price tag was excessive, but was told by DeSantis he could not vote on it separately. His objection was “noted for the record.”
The purchase price was based on state records, which valued the land at approximately $83 million, compared to the county’s appraisal of $10.5 million.
Guidry’s company, Pointe Mezzanine LLC, will be the seller.
In August, Okaloosa County Commission Chairman Paul Mixon sent a letter, supported by the full board, to DEP endorsing the state’s purchase and pledging at least $3 million in local contributions, with a total county commitment exceeding $5 million in funding, grants, and in-kind services.
Campaign records show that Guidry and his companies donated $8,000 to Mixon’s campaign and $6,000 to District 5 Commissioner Drew Palmer.
Guidry was previously convicted of bribing former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards in the 1990s to secure a riverboat casino license.
If the state finalizes the purchase, the property will become tax-exempt, removing roughly $130,000 per year from Okaloosa County’s tax rolls — including about $56,000 for the local school district.
If privately owned at its $83 million valuation, the land could generate over $1.1 million in annual taxes, according to local estimates. That potential loss, officials note, could have funded hundreds of student laptops or several new school buses each year.
RELATED: Gaetz takes issue with land purchase
The state now has 120 days from the Cabinet’s October 1 vote to complete the acquisition. Once finalized, DEP will likely manage the property, potentially as part of a new state park area adjacent to existing public land.
Destin’s leaders say they will continue to push for a joint public meeting in January and a local delegation meeting in December, to ensure citizens’ voices are heard.
“This has to be done above board and in the open,” Bagby said. “The people who live here deserve to know what’s being planned for their shoreline.”
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