I always like to keep up with the doings of Rodney Barreto who seems to always have a lot of "doings" going on -- besides being the ill-suited choice to head Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. (What were you thinking Governor Crist? Oh, that's right, someone has to raise money for your campaign.) Back to Lobbyist Rodney Barreto. I always find something new when I dig around in his records.The entire 466 acres surrounded in red (above aerial photo) was purchased in 2005 by Krome Gold Ranches II, LLLP (yes there are 3 L's) for $44,608,600. Krome Gold's General Partner is Krome Gold Ranches Management, LLC. Armando Guerra is the managing member for the partnership. Our own Rodney Barreto is also named in the corporate papers as is Agustin Herran.
Barry Brant et al had an option agreement dated March 6, 2006 to buy 240 acres (see yellow lines). According to court documents, the $2,500,000 deposited by the defendant (Brant et al) is non-refundable pursuant to the option agreement. On October 19, 2007 the Circuit Court awarded the Krome Gold Gang the deposit made by Barry M. Brant, Trustee of Krome 124-136 Land Trust u/i/d 3/02/06 and Manuel Diaz. I could not find any corporate or partnership listings for Krome 124-136. Barry Brandt et al, you might remember, was one of the applicants as "trustee" (for No. 23) trying to move the Urban Development Boundary in the 2005 cycle to amend the Comprehensive Development Master Plan.
So, although the buyers reneged on the deal, our Rodney and the rest of the Krome crew got $2,500,000 to take to the bank! However, that is chump change! It ain't much help in carrying $44,608,600 worth of land on the other side of the Urban Development Boundary.
6 comments:
The et al. is tree farmer / land baron Manuel Diaz. Most of his land is in Brandt's name.
Is this the same Barry Brandt-- Lawyer at Berkowitz Dick Pollack & Brant:
Experience :
Barry Brant proactively delivers strategic tax planning and critical advice to businesses, their owners, high net worth individuals and multi-national entities. He also determines the capital needs of growing businesses and real estate ventures, and then sources their optimal funding. Additionally, Mr. Brant identifies and negotiates mergers and acquisitions, and helps the owners of privately-owned businesses plan exit strategies.
Mr. Brant is trustee and/or protector for numerous clients because of his intimate knowledge of their business affairs and his loyalty to them, as well as his skill in estate and financial planning.strategies. He also serves as a board member for many clients.
First Anon:
Yes I believed that was who it was -- but being such a common name I did not want to identify him as such. Thinking about this deal today...I think Brant/Diaz did do okay. Yes they lost $2,500,000 but they got out of a costly deal that might have cost them much more in the long run. I think they cut their cost wisely. The Krome Gold crew will have to sit on this land for another 6 or7 years at least.
Who drove up land costs in such alarming amounts...developers have themselves to blame.
How do these land trust's work? In the NO. 23 application I spoke of from 2005, the developers have to reveal all in the paperwork. Brant is listed as the sole owner but in the bowels of the paper work I scavenged up Wayne Rosen and Michael Latterner (longtime Lennar partner's on land deals) both of whom had a contract to purchase the land (50% each).
keep up the good work! it's amazing how he's the head of the fish and wildlife commission.
He's the head of the Fish and Wildlife Commission, but that doesn't carry any weight with the bank, who are tightening collateral requirements on Rodney and all his amigos, and, it doesn't mean anything to Sergio Pino, whose bank is probably being asked to tighten up reserve requirements by marking to market big loans... hey, did anyone notice that Sergio's place on Lejeune, where Century Builders had a showroom and which was used for George Bush's campaign headquarters, is for sale? It looks so lonely without a buyer.
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