Standing at the tip of South Pointe Park on Miami Beach, just across the water from the wealthy enclave of Fisher Island, a group of local politicians and activists held a press conference to call for action on what could turn out to be a multimillion dollar crisis for one of Miami's largest economic drivers.
Late last year, Chicago-based developer HRP Group purchased a parcel of land on Fisher Island that houses the only fuel depot for ships coming in and out of the neighboring PortMiami, with plans to turn the land into luxury condos.
Now Miami-Dade County is in talks to potentially purchase the land back from HRP Group for a significantly increased price, or else have to seek other sources of fuel for the multibillion-dollar-generating cruise and cargo industries.
" We will be the only port in the country, in the world, without its own fuel depot, which is insane. This is one of the most expensive, one of the most dangerous things that could happen," said former Democratic U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia of Florida, who organized the press conference.
Speakers included candidates for elected office Phil Ehr, Robin Peguero and Justin Mendoza Routt; along with immigration advocate Thomas Kennedy and local media personality Billy Corben.
READ MORE: Proposed development could impact fuel depot at PortMiami
For decades, Miami-Dade County had leased the property on Fisher Island and made use of it to store fuel for various port operations. The previous landowner, TransMontaigne Partners, put the parcel up for sale in 2024 for $200 million. HRP Group purchased the land for $180 million in a sale that was finalized on Sept. 30 of last year.
Miami-Dade County Commissioners held a special meeting on Sept. 18 to address the issue at the behest of port employees and cruise industry leaders. At the time, commissioners felt caught off guard by the sudden rush to take action, and questioned why they were not notified sooner of the impending crisis.
“We find ourselves in a situation where we may not be able to provide fuel for the industry that we so say we care about and we cherish. It's really unfortunate that we find ourselves in this predicament,” said Commissioner René Garcia at the time.
Commissioners directed the administration to enter negotiations with the new owner within 60 days and come back to the board with three options for a new fuel facility on-site at PortMiami. If the county and the developer can't reach a deal, the administration was instructed to begin eminent domain proceedings to purchase the property for fair market value — on top of the attorney fees the county has accrued over several months of negotiation, all of which will be paid for by taxpayers.
The Fisher Island Community Association sued the county in federal court in January to block its eminent domain plans, arguing doing so without due process is unconstitutional.
In the association's complaint, it argues the true value of the property is far greater than $200 million, and the county will have to pay even more to update the aging facility.
"These estimates significantly understate the true cost. The Property’s market value must reflect its highest and best use—luxury condominium development in the most expensive ZIP code in the United States, complete with Fisher Island amenities and Club memberships," the complaint states.
Garcia and his coalition, using the tagline "Miami Yes, Billionaires No," argue the county should prioritize securing the fuel depot above appeasing developers and Fisher Island residents. Even so, they said, the county made a mistake by not taking action to seize the property sooner, which will cost taxpayers many millions of dollars.
A spokesperson for PortMiami said mediation with HRP Group is still ongoing, seven months after talks began.
