The Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport looks to be once again attempting to sell some of its land to New College of Florida. The Federal Aviation Administration blocked a previous attempt last year, noting that it was not in the airport's best interest to part with land it would likely need for future growth and expansion.
Internal documents obtained by WUSF indicate that the airport remains open to a deal if it meets FAA requirements. SRQ President and CEO Rick Piccolo retired in November and was replaced by Paul Hoback Jr.
New College plans to build a baseball stadium on a lot just under 4 acres, adjacent to 30 acres that the college leases from SRQ. The dimensions of the baseball field would require the use of land currently owned by SRQ. Developer Carlos Beruff donated $1 million for the project, and the New College Board of Trustees' finance committee recently approved an additional $2.5 million to fund the ballpark.
Local attorney and former President of the Florida Senate, Bill Galvano, is representing New College. Beruff is a member of the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority, which would have to approve any such deal. The six-member board appeared eager to approve the deal before the FAA's ruling. The governor appoints airport authority boards.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stacked the New College Board of Trustees with political allies in January of 2023. The new board fired then-New College President Patricia Okker and replaced her with former Florida House Speaker Dick Corcoran.
DeSantis, who played baseball in college, was said to be keen on expanding the school's limited athletic offerings to include the sport and others when he reimagined the state's honors college as a "Hillsdale of the South," referring to Hillsdale College, a conservative Christian institution in Michigan.
The FAA has stated that numerous changes are required before construction can take place on airport land, including updating two leases signed in 1957 and 1966, which expire in 2056.
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johnschussler
All five of the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority (SMAA) previous proposals to the FAA have failed to be approved (1) the early 2024 proposed sale of airport land was rejected April 10, 2024 (2) the formal appeal of that FAA rejection of the land sale proposal (3) proposed lease changes with a 20-year term extension (4) construction of a baseball field straddling a property line as an exception to the restrictions the FAA placed on any new construction by their letter of February 12, 2025 and (5) getting the new FAA Washington HQ political appointees to reverse any of these prior FAA rejections.
Seems like the SMAA should give up now and accept the FAA’s decisions. The SMAA does not need to do anything to recover its own land when the lease expires. This is New College’s problem, not the SMAA’s problem.
Saturday, December 13, 2025 Report this
GLEN GADFLY GIBELLINA
Just what we need a baseball field named after a developer, N O T
Lets look at some of the FACTS before we move forward
High Per-Student Cost: A Florida Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) study found New College's operating funds per student ($83,207 in FY2024) were the highest in the state system, far exceeding the average.
Budget Allocation: Critics argue significant funds went to executive salaries, staff, and building a sports program, rather than academics, leading to faculty departures.
Declining Academics: Enrollment has been inconsistent, test scores (SAT) have dropped, and retention/graduation rates have fallen since the 2023 leadership changes.
For the Record
Saturday, December 13, 2025 Report this
san.gander
New College is a failing institution - mortally wounded scholastically, like the famous duck with only a Right-Wing, that must forever fly in a circle going nowhere.
Now attempt is being made to "graft" a living thriving USF student body and campus, providing a local gateway to a University level education for Sarasota and Manatee County students.
Of course, the ongoing attempt to "wrest" land for New College by politically motivated members of the Sarasota Airport Authority. Shame. The FAA does not make decisions about land usage adjacent to a major airport lightly. It involves questions of safety... Did not the recent fiery crash at the Airport in Louisville, Kentucky make that abundantly clear!
Sunday, December 14, 2025 Report this