Eglin hopes to cash in on sand, sun and surf

[unhappycamper]

The property the Air Force would like to lease is prime beachfront property, worth more than $25 million, and empty except for a small, little-used building.


Eglin hopes to cash in on sand, sun and surf
By Erik Holmes - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Feb 12, 2009 18:18:41 EST

Tourism brings in $1 billion a year to the Florida Panhandle’s Okaloosa County — and Eglin Air Force Base wants a piece of the action.

The base plans to turn 17 acres of Air Force-owned property into a public resort that would have 250 guest rooms, a conference center, restaurants, shops, swimming pools, a water park and nearly 600 feet of sandy beach. A portion of the rooms would be available to military personnel at discounted rates.

Under the proposal, the Air Force would lease the property — valued by county appraisers at $25.2 million — to a developer who would design, build and operate the resort. It is unclear whether the developer would pay cash or would do development work for Eglin.

“The purpose of the proposed action is for the to make the best use of a high-value, real property asset that is currently underutilized,” according to a draft environmental assessment released by Eglin’s 96th Air Base Wing in late January. “The provides a revenue stream and improved mission-related capabilities while enhancing the local economy.”

The plot, about 13 miles south of Eglin’s west gate on Santa Rosa Island in Fort Walton Beach, is empty except for a 1,040-square-foot building that houses a little-used radar operation for test and training missions over the Gulf of Mexico.


Rest of article at: http://airforcetimes.com/news/2009/02/airforce_eglin_resort_021109/%2e

[DrDan]

1. wanna bet jeb has his fingers in this

Florida developers own him

[tsuki]

3. No, it's Federal Land. Someone in Congress has their hands in this. nt

[DrDan]

4. yes - and influenced by Jeb if I were to guess

I do not trust him. He is absolutely up to no good. He will not go away - and he derives much of his power from Florida developers.

[tsuki]

2. If this is Okaloosa Island, the taxpayers are f**ked. This is a

SMALL barrier island that has been washed away twice in the last two years. The primary dune system is in Choctawhatchee Bay. The developer will never be able to get insurance on a complex on this island, so the taxpayers will be on the hook when the complex washes away.

The NCO Beach Club has been rebuilt twice, and the beach front is gone. The club is almost on HWY 98.

The O Club is gone forever.

The Vitro site that they are talking about is not really usable now.

BAD, BAD, BAD IDEA.