Orange Beach
Orange Beach's Two Big Wharf Deals Lead to the Same Baton Rouge Address
The company in line to buy the city's Event Center and the company behind the Margaritaville resort, which is in line for a 30-year tax rebate, are both Louisiana LLCs that list the same principal address. Here is what the state's business records show.
Orange Beach has two major deals in The Wharf area that are tied to city tax revenue:
- The Event Center sale. Under terms presented to the council, Wharf Retail Properties, LLC would pay $5.565 million for the Event Center and lend the city $1.935 million interest-free toward a new venue, repaid from certain tax revenue generated at The Wharf. The terms were amended in September; we have not confirmed final approval. (NBC15)
- The Margaritaville incentive. In January 2025 the city approved a 50% rebate of city sales and lodging taxes for the Margaritaville resort at Wharf Landing, for 30 years or until an interest-free city warrant of up to $95 million is repaid. The warrant is issued when phase one is complete. (Gulf Coast Media) City planning applications for the resort are filed on behalf of The Wharf Landing, LLC. (June 8, 2026 Planning Commission agenda)
What the state records show
| Wharf Retail Properties, LLC | The Wharf Landing, LLC | |
|---|---|---|
| Deal with the city | In line to buy the Event Center | Margaritaville resort, 30-year tax rebate |
| Formed in | Louisiana, Nov. 14, 2011 | Louisiana, July 25, 2022 |
| Principal address | 610 Highland Crossing, Baton Rouge | 610 Highland Crossing Street, Baton Rouge |
| Alabama registered agent | C T Corporation System, Montgomery | Kristopher Anderson, 4851 Wharf Parkway, Orange Beach |
| Source | Alabama Secretary of State | Alabama Secretary of State |
Wharf Retail Properties is also the listed owner of trademark filings for "The Wharf," "The Wharf Orange Beach" and "Spectra." (Justia trademark records)
What the records don't show
Alabama's filings for out-of-state LLCs do not list owners or members. Louisiana's records may. A shared address is common for companies run by the same group, and it is not evidence of anything improper. It does mean residents should know whether the city is negotiating both deals with the same people.
Questions Orange Beach hasn't answered
- Are Wharf Retail Properties and The Wharf Landing owned or controlled by the same people?
- Did the city consider both deals together when weighing how much Wharf-area tax revenue it is giving back?
- Did the city get an independent appraisal before agreeing to sell the Event Center?
Island Insider will request the Louisiana filings and the Event Center sale documents and report what they show.
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