Florida real estate development firm Kitson & Partners, led by former professional American football player Syd Kitson, signed a contract for purchase of the Babcock Florida Company including the ranch in July 2005 and laid out a plan to sell over 74000 acres to the State of Florida for preservation the most environmentally sensitive areas The contract was contingent on a series of local and state approvals for development on the property to be retained by Kitson & Partners and a land management agreement that would provide for continued ranching operations and employment of the ranch staff under state ownership.