Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has put a hold on a proposal to introduce extensive developments, including golf courses, pickleball courts, and 350-room hotels, to state parks following widespread public and political opposition. The governor announced the decision at a press conference on Wednesday, marking his first public remarks since the proposals from his administration were leaked last week.
“They’re going back to the drawing board,” DeSantis said, indicating a shift in direction after the proposal stirred significant controversy. “I’d rather not spend any money on this. If people don’t want improvements, then we won’t do them.”
The proposed “Great Outdoors Initiative,” which was unveiled by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) last week, immediately ignited backlash from both citizens and key political figures. The initiative, which aimed to bring modern amenities to several state parks, including Jonathan Dickinson State Park, faced fierce opposition from elected officials and residents alike. The outcry included protests at parks across the state and petitions garnering hundreds of thousands of signatures against the development plans.
Criticism also came from within DeSantis’s own party, an unusual occurrence given the governor’s typically strong influence among Florida Republicans. High-ranking Republican officials, including members of Congress, state legislators, and cabinet members, quickly voiced their opposition to the plan. This dissent represents a rare unified stance against a proposal from the DeSantis administration.
In response to the backlash, DeSantis distanced himself from the initiative, labeling it a “half-baked idea” that had not received his approval. “This is something that was leaked. It was not approved by me; I never saw that,” DeSantis stated. “A lot of that stuff was half-baked and was not ready for prime time. It was intentionally leaked to a left-wing group to try and create a narrative.”
Following the governor’s remarks, South Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz called for an investigation into the origins of the proposal. “We need DeSantis to release all records on this greedy land grab, plus an IG investigation into who really backed it,” Wasserman Schultz tweeted, expressing concern over the transparency of the process.
Since taking office in 2019, DeSantis has worked to establish himself as a proponent of environmental conservation, often highlighting his administration’s efforts to protect Florida’s natural spaces. He suggested that the leak of these plans was an attempt to undermine his environmental record, which he characterized as a “phony narrative.” “We’re not getting into the golf course business in the state of Florida,” DeSantis asserted, further clarifying that if any improvements are made to state parks, they should not come at the expense of green spaces.
The DEP had originally scheduled a series of public meetings to discuss the initiative, including one in Stuart, but these were postponed in light of the growing controversy. DeSantis emphasized his willingness to forgo the developments entirely if that is the public’s preference. “Here’s the thing, I’d rather not spend any money on this, right? If people don’t want improvements, then don’t do it,” he said. “I’m totally fine to just do nothing and do no improvements if that’s what the general public wants.”
The proposal, which initially aimed to enhance state parks by adding modern amenities, quickly became a political hot potato. Prominent Republicans such as Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, both of whom are considered potential successors to DeSantis, publicly opposed the initiative. U.S. Representatives Brian Mast, Marco Rubio, and Rick Scott also criticized the plan, with Mast, whose district includes Jonathan Dickinson State Park, being particularly vocal. Mast condemned the proposal, describing it as a plan to “bulldoze Jonathan Dickinson State Park,” and vowed to investigate how the plans were developed without input from local officials.
DeSantis, in an attempt to quell the growing discontent, argued that the plan had been misrepresented and pointed to the park’s history as a World War II training camp. “As if they were going to try to take away unspoiled land,” he said. “No, there were almost 1,000 buildings on that base back in the day. There’s still some remnants of it.”
The swift backlash led to the withdrawal of the proposal by the Tuskegee Foundation, an obscure organization that had backed the development plans. The foundation, which was linked to the project through leaked documents, quickly distanced itself from the initiative amid the public outcry.
Despite the foundation’s withdrawal, the controversy surrounding the proposal continues. Republican State Senator Gayle Harrell of Stuart has since filed a bill aimed at defining appropriate uses for state parks, a move that underscores the ongoing concerns about preserving Florida’s natural spaces. Additionally, both the Palm Beach County and Martin County commissions have officially opposed the initiative.
Meanwhile, golf-related companies, including Nicklaus Companies and Nicklaus Design, took steps to clarify that they were not involved in the project, despite ties between the foundation and golfing legend Jack Nicklaus.
The leaked documents that sparked the controversy outlined plans to install three public golf courses at Jonathan Dickinson State Park as part of the state’s 2024-2025 Great Outdoors Initiative. However, following the fervor of discontent, the state postponed the public meetings that were scheduled to discuss the plan.
The Tuskegee Foundation’s decision to withdraw from the proposal came just two days after its involvement became public. The organization, registered in Delaware and represented by Florida lobbyists, including a former DEP secretary, has faced scrutiny over its role in the development plans.
