‘This Is About Control’: Destin Mayor Bobby Wagner speaks out on Noriega Point and state power Collin Bestor January 28, 2026 3:30 pm Destin DESTIN — Destin Mayor Bobby Wagner says the debate surrounding Noriega Point is not just about a single parcel of land, but about who controls the future of Florida’s coastal communities, and how far local voices are being pushed aside. In an extended interview with Mid Bay News, Wagner addressed a sweeping range of issues facing the city in 2026, including the $84 million purchase of Noriega Point, harbor safety, conservation versus commercialization, the statewide push to eliminate property taxes, the Destin Crosstown Connector, and broader concerns about the erosion of municipal authority in Florida. “My constituents are my bosses,” Wagner said. “And if they’re not part of the conversation, then we’re doing government wrong.” Noriega Point: from conservation promise to controversy Wagner said he first learned of the idea to acquire Noriega Point nearly a year before the deal became public, during legislative delegation meetings in Tallahassee while advocating for stormwater and infrastructure funding. At that time, he said the proposal was framed as a conservation effort to prevent a condominium tower from being built on the narrow peninsula at the east end of Destin Harbor. “That sounded like a fantastic idea,” Wagner said. “A condo there would have obstructed views of East Pass and boxed in the harbor even more.” But Wagner said that understanding changed once details emerged...
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