Grand Capri Republic

The Grand Capri Republic was a planned island state that Louis M. Ray, president of Acme General Contractors, proposed in the 1960s to raise by dredging and building up the Triumph and Long Reefs off the Florida coast. The plans were contested in the courts by the United States government, which claimed the reefs as U.S. territory and designated it for the Biscayne National Monument, as well as William T. Anderson and his Atlantis Development Corp. Ltd., which had a similar plan for the same reefs; ultimately, the courts settled the case in favor of the government.

Dredging (1964-'65)


After the initial dredging and placement of a prefab building at the site, Hurricane Betsy rolled in during 1965, blowing away the sands and sending the reefs back underwater.

Court Documents

 * https://casetext.com/case/united-states-v-ray-15