Full Breakdown
Miami-Dade Mayor Rejects $400 Million Fuel Depot Deal, Pursues Eminent Domain
6/6/2026, 12:04:55 PM
Immediate Action: Deal Rejection and Eminent-Domain Move
On June 5 2026 Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced the county would not accept a $400 million proposal to buy the Fisher Island fuel depot that supplies PortMiami. She said negotiations ended without an acceptable agreement and that Miami-Dade will invoke eminent-domain to acquire the site at fair market value.
Background and Timeline
TransMontaigne sold the 10-acre depot to Chicago-based HRP Group for $180 million in October 2024; HRP announced plans for luxury condos. County officials missed a 2024 bid, prompting a September 2024 commission study of eminent-domain. By June 2 2026 COO Jimmy Morales and PortMiami director Hydi Webb resigned, and on June 5 the mayor moved to eminent-domain.
Financial Stakes and Economic Importance
Proposed payment structures range from a $400 million lump sum to $200 million upfront plus $200 million over 20 years. PortMiami generates an estimated $61 billion economic impact and supports 340,000 jobs; loss of the depot would threaten fuel supply for cruise and cargo vessels.
Official Statements & Criticism
Mayor Levine Cava’s written statement stressed stewardship of public funds, noting the deal would have paid for itself without taxpayer dollars. HRP called the eminent-domain action “a direct result of the county’s incompetence…”. Former Rep. Joe Garcia called the price “a punch to the jaw”, and the Fisher Island Community Association sued, arguing the depot is not a public necessity.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the deal’s structure: some cite a $400 million lump sum, others reference $200 million upfront plus $200 million over two decades. The status of the eminent-domain lawsuit is also reported variably; some notes say the case is pending in federal court, while others simply state the county will pursue a fair-market purchase.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I think we can do better.” — Daniella Levine Cava, Mayor of Miami-Dade County
- “There isn't a port in the United States that doesn't have a fuel depot,” — Joe Garcia, former U.S. Representative
- “In a statement, HRP said the ordeal "is a direct result of the county's incompetence after years and frankly decades of failure to plan for PortMiami infrastructure.” — HRP Group statement
- “Our position is that that facility needs to be relocated to the port, you know, where they control it,” said Jim Ferraro, chairman of the FICA board, in an interview with WLRN.” — Jim Ferraro, Chairman, Fisher Island Community Association
- “I acknowledge that you and I have a difference of opinion with respect to the purchase and sale transaction of the port fuel facility on Fisher Island” — Jimmy Morales, former COO, Miami-Dade County
Outlook: Next Steps
The county will file an eminent-domain petition to obtain a court-determined price while negotiations with HRP continue. Ongoing FICA litigation may delay acquisition. Officials say alternative fuel-supply options are being studied, though earlier analyses concluded that building a new depot at PortMiami would be prohibitively costly.
