Peter Schorsch
Tallahassee recently played host to a Miami billionaire who came to town to share his wisdom — and maybe some of his wealth.
Jeffrey Soffer earned his money the old fashioned way — he inherited it. And among the many assets of the Turnberry empire founded by his father is the sprawling cathedral of commerce known as Aventura Mall — a very valuable asset.
So what brought Soffer to Tally?
He was likely on a mission to derail the American Dream Miami mega-mall. After all, in his mind, the ADM mega-mall is mega competition to his star asset and we all know that competition isn’t good — unless you’re a consumer.
So how would Jeffery Soffer convince members of the Florida Cabinet that creating a genuinely spectacular new tourist attraction and massive economic engine is bad for Florida?
It’s likely he had some very personal and private meetings with Cabinet members to wax poetic about his commitment to the future of our state — and, of course, the successful political campaigns of its leaders.
You see, Soffer is a prolific fundraiser — a fact that is not lost on those who may soon seek higher office.
The fact is that Soffer is only interested in protecting his self-interest — even if that’s not in the best interest of Florida. That’s why, when it comes to the American Dream Miami mega-mall — Jeff Soffer can give you a billion ways to say no.
