Inside Ken Griffin’s secret negotiation for Florida’s largest real estate deal

Key Points:

• Moishe Mana sold approximately 30 acres of his Wynwood property to Citadel CEO Ken Griffin for $1.1 billion, marking Florida's largest land assemblage transaction; the deal took nearly three years from initial contact to closing.
• The land will be used to establish a new Carnegie Mellon University campus in Miami, supported by Griffin’s record $3 billion gift to the university, aimed at transforming Miami into a hub for higher education and technological research.
• Mana initially resisted selling the land, valuing it as priceless due to its cultural significance and development, but was persuaded by the educational purpose and Griffin’s commitment to civic and intellectual infrastructure.
• Mana retains over 15 acres in Wynwood and plans to focus on developing Miami’s downtown Flagler District into a tech, fashion, and arts ecosystem, having already invested around $600 million in about 80 properties there.
• Mana praised Griffin as a visionary philanthropist comparable to historic figures like Henry Flagler and the Medici family, emphasizing the transformative impact of Griffin’s investment on Miami’s cultural and financial stature.