Opinion ID: 1192958
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Proposed West Bay Site

Text: The St. Joe Company (St. Joe), the largest private landowner in Florida, has agreed to donate approximately 4,000 acres in West Bay County for construction of a new airport, contingent on the Sponsor's agreement to locate the airport within certain boundaries and the FAA's commitment of funds for the airport's construction. Letter from Peter S. Rummell, CEO, St. Joe, to Donald Crisp, Chairman, Panama City-Bay County Airport and Industrial District, at 1 (Nov. 17, 1999). St. Joe owns most of the land surrounding the proposed site and, thus, would likely benefit from the new airport. See generally Sierra Club v. U.S. Army Corps of Eng'rs, 464 F.Supp.2d 1171, 1177-78 (M.D.Fla.2006) (noting St. Joe's regional land holdings and construction plans). To mitigate environmental damage that would be caused by the construction of a new airport, St. Joe has committed to set aside 9,609 of its acres as conservation easements.