Not likely that the TP&W will consider a purchase of this property, it will take millions more to develop it into a suitable state park on top of the purchase price, not to mention that they have Bob Sandlin state park just a few miles away to the west and Dangerfield state park a few more miles away to the east. But of coarse, stranger things have happened. This is just my 2 cents and my opinion for whatever that is worth.

I love all the post I see when this place comes up. Removing the dam, means no more Monticello which is the issue. Despite the gates being open that place still is VERY much its own lake. The last surveys done out there showed it to still have the highest % of Florida strain fish of any lake in the State.

Fouz - I can tell you that you are 100% wrong on Beaver. I know exactly what went down and it was nothing close to him being ousted.

And lastly, and it’s all I will say for now. The state is absolutely currently engaged in due diligence on the potential purchase of Monticello. They formed a team over a year ago that has a significant focus on trying to find more land for state parks. Between the State's massive budget surplus and some props that were pushed through over the years, TPWD has a pretty nice cash reserve it’s looking to deploy.

I’ve never seen the data showing more Florida bass in Monticello than other lakes. It has nice fish in it, but I wouldn’t say it’s a lights out lake that kicks out DD sized fish regularly. What made it nice was the hot water in the winter, that’s obviously gone. What would happen if the dam was removed? The fish would move around more or would it mess with the water level?

Why does it need to be a state park? Can’t it just have the old co ramp, if you want a state park experience you could just like you said, go down to bob sandlin

Or better yet, just pay to remove the dam, and let the private development of the land occur

Couple of folks touring the lake in a runabout this afternoon....

Being a state park would be the only way that it would make any kind of financial sense, the state isn't going to shell out 131 million just to give people a place to fish. As a state park it can generate enough to help support itself at the very least . As a county park, it wouldn't even generate enough revenue to pay the employees that would staff the front gate .

I don’t understand why the state can’t negotiate a deal with a developer and the owner.

Remove the dam and pay the seller or developer “x” amount of money, I don’t know how much that would cost.

Then whoever wants to own and do whatever they’d like with the land can, subdivide. Build houses. A lot of lake home owners don’t care about fishing or public using the lake, and they may like being able to buy property for cheaper because the lake would be public.

There is no need for another state park. Not even need for a ramp.

Win. Win. Win.