On Tuesday May 6, 2025, the Fort Lauderdale City Commission will be reviewing the status of the infamous One Stop Shop project as part of their conference agenda. Let’s be blunt: it’s time to kill this deal.

Over three years ago, on March 15, 2022, the Commission approved a Comprehensive Agreement with One Stop FTL, LLC for the development of a so-called “Arts Park” on 3.3 acres of prime, city-owned downtown real estate. What’s happened since? Absolutely nothing. Not one submittal to the Development Review Committee. Not a single building permit application. The site sits idle, locked up for private development while our community pleads for more park space and accessible public land.

The developer is paying nothing for the land, literally zero dollars, until one year after construction is completed. And the most important piece? There are no deadlines in the agreement for when construction must begin. In fact, per the agreement, the project only needs to be completed within three years of pulling a building permit. And guess what? No permit, or deadline to pull one, means the clock hasn’t even started ticking.

Worse still, this is another one of the City’s favored “license” deals rather than a “lease” allowing the developer to avoid certain processes and requirements, like with Snyder Park and other development projects. You know, the kind of transparency most taxpayers expect when public land is involved. And lets be clear, functionally there is almost no difference between a lease and how the City has structured these licenses.

The City Commission will be reviewing a presentation prepared by staff, but let’s not pretend it tells the whole story. For example, it states staff “was able to look at” an updated financial commitment from November 25, 2024. But that’s not the same as receiving it. According to sources familiar with the matter, staff viewed the documents on the Developer’s IPad—but were not provided copies, raising concerns about whether this was done to avoid creating a formal public record. We deserve formal, verifiable documents that are accessible to the public. In the sunshine. As the law prescribes. You can download the City Staff Presentation here.

The Investor Behind the One Stop Shop?

Even more baffling is the omission of the more recent March 20, 2025 “Ready, Willing and Able” letter from a supposed investor, ARES 2811 CORP stating they are ready to “fully fund One Stop, LLC.” Unlike the other letter, the City actually has this one, we received it after reviewing a public records request, but it’s nowhere to be found in the presentation materials. Why?

Probably because it raises more questions than it clears up. The letter is:

• Not addressed from any named individual.
• Lacks a return address, phone number, or website.
• Fails to mention any specific financial capability.
• References a partnership with Jeffery John (the developer), yet no supporting documentation accompanies it.

Typical proof of funds or financing letters come from a bank, investment firm, or recognized lender and include formal language like: “[Entity] or its affiliated accounts has available cash balances in excess of [$X],” or “We are prepared to extend financing in the amount of [$X] to [Project or Borrower].” They’re usually on official letterhead, signed with a printed name and title, and easily verifiable.

In some cases, a developer may also provide bank statements, corporate financials, or tax returns to demonstrate their financial capacity or ability to raise funds, anything that actually substantiates they have the means to follow through. This letter, by contrast, contains no contact information, no company credentials, and while it is signed, there’s no printed name or formal signature block identifying who signed it. That’s not how serious financing commitments are documented. It’s not standard—and it’s a red flag that deserves scrutiny, not omission from the public materials presented to the City Commission.

A little research reveals that ARES 2811 CORP. is a New York corporation formed in December 2023. The listed address for the corporation traces back to a single-family home in Nassau County, NY—not exactly what one would expect for a major development financier. The NY Department of State database doesn’t list any officers or directors and a quick Google search reveals no digital footprint for the company. Searching the two individual owners of the property doesn’t get you very far either.

Is ARES 2811 Corp the company that provided the “updated financial commitment” the public can’t review because it was never formally submitted to the city? If not, who did? And where does ARES 2811 fit into the mix? If this is the developer’s updated proof of funding, we’re in deeper trouble than we thought.

So here’s the question: Why was this letter not included in the presentation? The public shouldn’t have to file public records requests to see documents related to a $100 million development deal on public land worth at least $35 million. If this letter is supposed to represent financial capacity, why wasn’t it included in City Staff’s update to the Commission? Is staff choosing not to include it? Or were they directed not to by someone else? Either way, this kind of selective disclosure undermines public trust and raises serious concerns about what else is being kept out of the public eye.

The Bloc Strikes Again

And let’s be clear who voted for this contract three years ago, despite warning after warning, even then, about how bad this deal was. None other than The Bloc—Mayor Dean Trantalis, Commissioner Steve Glassman, and Commissioner Ben Sorensen—who have become fan favorites for criticism both on this website and across the city. This was their vision. Their vote. Their responsibility. And now, three years later, they have nothing to show for it.

Time to Walk Away

Commissioner Glassman was recently quoted as saying “I recently met with the development team and have been assured that all systems are go,” he said. “I am not in favor of terminating the agreement.” No surprise considering he was one of the original fans of pushing this project.

Let’s be real: this isn’t just a stalled project—it was a bad deal from day one that’s only getting worse with time. We’ve been patient. We’ve been generous. But now, we’re being played. Actually, we were always being played.

The City Commission must do the right thing and explore avenues to terminate the One Stop Shop deal. If other members of The Bloc want a shot at redemption they can start by figuring out how to tear up this deal. This should be a public park, maybe one that’s owned by and managed by our city for the benefit of its residents rather than private development interests. Heck, the City Commission can even use some of that $200 Million Parks Bond we voted for over 5 years ago that they seem to have so much trouble spending.