Last summer, a luxury golf course developer was on the cusp of getting more than 300 acres of state forest land, which it hoped to use to expand its resort in Hernando County.

State officials, including Gov. Ron DeSantis , had granted early approval for the proposed land swap.

But about a year later, after public backlash prompted Cabot Citrus Farms to abandon the deal , both the developer and the state are poised to do a 180.

Cabot Citrus is now offering 340 acres of nearby forest for the state to buy for conservation — without requesting public lands in return. The new proposal was included in a public meeting agenda posted online Tuesday evening.

DeSantis, Attorney General James Uthmeier and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson are scheduled to discuss and vote on the pur

See Full Page