Moving Broward County’s headquarters to a building being vacated by Spirit Airlines would save local government hundreds of millions of dollars, but it may be wishful thinking, county commissioners said at a public meeting Tuesday.
The commission voted unanimously to approve up to $25,000 to consult with lawyers to see whether the acquisition of Spirit’s Dania Beach building, which boasts more than 180,000 square feet of office space, is even possible.
Spirit ceased operations May 2 after years of financial struggles, including two bankruptcies in under two years and fuel costs that shot up when U.S. military action against Iran started in February.
The headquarters is located on an 11-acre site off Interstate 95. The County Commission is looking at spending more than $600 million to construct a new headquarters, but commissioners agreed that the Spirit site might save a small fortune.
Commissioner Lamar Fisher warned his colleagues that the county may never get the chance to buy the property, and even if it were given the opportunity, it might be outbid. “We don’t even know that they’re going to liquidate the real estate,” Fisher said.
Rafael Olmeda can be reached at rolmeda@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4457.