Florida TaxWatch is calling attention to so-called budget "turkeys" as especially egregious wastes of taxpayer money, and the historic Hotel Ponce de Leon landed on the list for scoring big money outside of grant programs ostensibly dedicated to renovation projects.
Those programs, via the Department of State, are capped at $500,000, well beyond the spend in St. Augustine.
At issue: "$35.0 million for renovating and updating the Hotel Ponce de Leon, which is used as a revenue-producing dormitory for a private college. The Hotel also received $35.0 million from the Legislature last year to remodel the residential spaces."
The funds will go to Flagler College, the school for which the hotel's original building and grounds have served as a centerpiece since 1968. In turn, the private liberal arts college will pay for the construction of a new roof, chilled water system and complete plumbing overhaul, a modern fire suppression system, new windows and "visitor experience displays."
Those upgrades are necessary, wrote Flagler College President John Delaney and St. Augustine Beach Commissioner Beth Sweeny, who works as the school's director of external and government relations, in order "to preserve the National Historic Landmark building and enhance visitor experience."
Joseph Mobley of Jacksonville-based The Florentino Group lobbied lawmakers on behalf of the college, which is pricey to attend, with costs over $40,000 per academic year for students once tuition, room and board, and other expenses are factored in.
We've reached out to Delaney for comment on TaxWatch's claims and will add his remarks once he offers them.
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Jesse Scheckner of Florida Politics contributed to this report.
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