The City of Lake Wales released the following press release on May 9, 2025:
City of Lake Wales reached a milestone, officially obtaining the deed to the iconic Dixie Walesbilt Hotel on May 9thafter a three-year legal battle with Walesbilt LLC owner Ray Brown.
The City paid Brown $450,000 to transfer ownership of the property to the City’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA). Brown relinquished all claims against the city.
A unanimous vote by the city commission to approve the settlement agreement took place in April.
“Negotiating a deal and avoiding a protracted legal battle was the strategic course of action,” City Manager James Slaton said.
Slaton, who also serves as the executive director for the Lake Wales CRA spent eight hours with Lake Wales’ attorney Kevin Ashley negotiating the deal with the Dixie Walesbilt legal team.
A comprehensive assessment of the hotel will take place before City staff prepares a request for quotation for prospective developers.
