KOA IN WEST PALM BEACH TO CLOSE
The campground adjacent to Lion Country Safari will close permanently on April 30, following its sale to the family of billionaire Larry Ellison (see our article NEWS: BILLIONAIRES CONTINUE TO FLOCK TO THE SUNSHINE STATE – Le Soleil de la Floride). KOA (Kampgrounds of America) Journey in West Palm Beach is no longer accepting reservations and will automatically refund stays scheduled through February 17.
The team expressed its gratitude to the generations of visitors who have made the site a place for vacations and family traditions. Renowned for its nights lulled by the sounds of the reserve, the campground was a popular stop for RV travelers and snowbirds.
COLD SNAP
A wave of Arctic air has swept across North America, reaching as far south as Florida. Another polar vortex is on its way, and while temperatures could drop again, particularly in the Panhandle and in the center and north of the state, this should not affect South Florida, thanks to a high-pressure system.
As a reminder, a polar vortex is a vast area of very cold low pressure that surrounds the poles at the stratosphere level. When the central vortex weakens, it can create other vortices or low-pressure systems that break away and descend into the troposphere, where our daily weather occurs, causing bitter cold often accompanied by snowfall.
DEERFIELD BEACH CUTS TIES WITH BROWARD SHERIFF
On January 20, the city council voted to end its collaboration with the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) after 35 years of service, by a vote of four to one. The debate was heated between Sheriff Gregory Tony and the commission members. Last August, the sheriff requested a 9.4% increase in his budget for emergency response and a 10.1% increase for police services, while the city of 87,000 residents cannot exceed a contractual budget increase of 5%.
The contract between Deerfield Beach and the BSO expired in September 2025, and in October, the city commissioned a feasibility study on the potential costs of creating its own services from the Center for Public Safety, an independent organization. The study concluded that breaking away from the BSO could save more than $500 million over 20 years. Sheriff Tony strongly opposes the report, which he calls biased.
Deerfield Beach now has about 20 months to set up its own police and emergency services. The BSO’s current contract commits its services until September 2027.
FORT LAUDERDALE, A FAVORITE DESTINATION FOR NEWCOMERS
According to a recent study by U-Haul, the moving company, Fort Lauderdale ranks 7th nationally among growing cities for one-way residential moves in 2025. Among states, Florida ranks 2nd behind Texas, up two spots from its 2024 ranking (4th). According to a company press release, U-Haul customers moving to Florida accounted for 50.6% of all one-way trips to and from the state last year, compared to 49.4% leaving.
According to Mario Martinez, U-Haul’s vice president for South Florida: “We’re seeing a lot of people moving here from the Northeast. A lot of retirees are coming to Florida. They come for the better quality of life, the warm climate, and the laid-back lifestyle. It’s a real melting pot here.”
According to U-Haul, the fastest-growing cities in Florida are (in alphabetical order): Bradenton, Brandon, Clermont, Davenport, Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Haines City, Kissimmee, Lady Lake, Lakeland, Leesburg, Melbourne, North Fort Myers, North Miami Beach, North Port, Ocala, Palm Bay, Panama City, Port Charlotte, Port St. Lucie, Sarasota, St. Augustine, St. Cloud, Wildwood, and Winter Haven.
ONE BOCA, A PROJECT APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND SUBJECT TO A VOTE
On March 10, Boca Raton residents will vote in a referendum for or against the much-discussed One Boca project. On January 20, the city council voted four to one in favor of the project.
One Boca is ambitious: it proposes 765 multifamily housing units, including at least 77 units for workers, 182 condominiums, a hotel, offices, and shops on the land east of Northwest Second Avenue.
To the west, administrative buildings are planned, including a new city hall, a community center, a police station, and a redesigned Memorial Park. Public green spaces, including bike and pedestrian paths, are also in the plan.
City Councilman Andy Thomson opposed the project, arguing that it would pose too great a financial risk to the city. The city will have to finance the infrastructure around One Boca, including streets, utilities, sidewalks, and lighting, at an estimated cost of nearly $57 million. Other opponents see it as a gift to real estate developers Terra and Frisbie, who will be granted a 99-year lease on city land.
Supporters of the project argue that One Boca will create jobs and affordable housing for young families, particularly FAU students who wish to settle there, generate $8.5 million in net annual tax revenue for the municipality, and create a “real place to live,” according to City Councilor Yvette Drucker.
A NEW CEO TO THE RESCUE OF BRIGHTLINE
Brightline Holdings, the parent company of the Florida-based transport company, has just recruited a new boss, Nicolas Petrovic, former CEO of Eurostar, the train that runs under the English Channel between Europe and Great Britain.
His appointment comes at a time when Brightline is unprofitable and looking for ways to reduce its debt, which exceeds $2 billion. In fact, the company’s credit rating has been downgraded by S&P because growth forecasts will not be met in 2025.
However, ridership is on the rise, mainly on Brightline’s long-distance route between South Florida and Orlando. Nationwide, total ridership increased by 12% in the first nine months of 2025.
On the other hand, users of the service benefit from heavily discounted fares to encourage them to leave their cars at home and use the train, and this is proving difficult to reverse. In South Florida, the average ticket price dropped -10 % in the 3rd quarter of 2025, between the five train stations.
Note: Patrick Goddard remains president of Brightline Florida.
