Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Withdraws Controversial Plan To Build Golf Courses & Hotels In State Parks After Protests

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Florida) is temporarily withdrawing from his controversial proposal to develop golf courses, pickleball courts and hotels in Florida state parks.

DeSantis’ Department of Environmental Protection disclosed the “2023-24 Great Outdoors Initiative” plans last week and planned one hour of public hearings after the nine affected parks. 

According to a press release, the proposal would “increase the number of outdoor recreation opportunities available at Florida’s state parks, including pickleball, disc golf, golf and paddling.”

“Today’s announcement reinforces the DeSantis Administration’s record support for conserving our natural landscapes and commitment to ensuring every Floridian can visit and recreate at Florida’s state parks,” the release states.

“This includes the 2023-24 Great Outdoors Initiative, which offered 50% discounts for Florida State Parks annual passes and Florida’s Freedom Summer Kickoff on Memorial Day, which provided all Floridians free entry into state parks,” it goes on to say.

The Florida governor’s plan caused hundreds of protestors to gather at the parks and inspired bipartisan opposition, including from Florida’s Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott.

However, some people, like DeSantis’ press secretary, Jeremy Redfern, praised the developments at state parks as a required effort to grow recreational opportunities in the state.

“Teddy Roosevelt believed that public parks were for the benefit and enjoyment of the people, and we agree with him,” Redfern mentioned in a statement. “No administration has done more than we have to conserve Florida’s natural resources, grow conservation lands, and keep our environment pristine. But it’s high time we made public lands more accessible to the public.”

Rep. Lindsay Cross (D-Florida) spoke at one of the park plan protests and called for more clarity on how the plans came together – and who was in charge of the initiative.

“While I appreciate that the governor has listened to the people and bipartisan elected officials in calling for a pause, I find it hard to believe that he did not know of these plans,” Cross stated. “Our state agencies largely work under the direction of the executive branch. The governor needs to explain how this decision-making process occurs so we can avoid future desecration of our parks.”

Opposition to the proposal went beyond party lines, with top Republican legislative leaders and members of Congress raising questions along with Democrats and environmental groups like the Sierra Club and the Cleo Institute.

Hundreds of protestors gathered at state parks and Department of Environmental Protection headquarters in Tallahassee on August 27 to share their opposition to the plans.

Nearly 150 people gathered at a rally outside Honeymoon Island State Park on the central Gulf coast, where the plan envisions building pickleball courts near its white-sand beaches.

Many demonstrators held signs with slogans like “Save Don’t Pave” and “Parks Over Profit.”

“After eight days of public outrage, DeSantis was forced to back off plans to develop nine Florida state parks – a huge credit to all the people who united in opposition,” Eve Samples, executive director of Friends of the Everglades, stated. “That said, we won’t rest easy until the so-called Great Outdoors Initiative is completely dead. We will remain vigilant in defense of Florida’s natural lands, water and wildlife.”

During the increasing outcry, a golf course proposal at one park was abandoned, and the agency delayed hearings until at least the following week—if they happen at all.

The plan for golf courses at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in southeast Florida had been scrapped. 

The development’s main proponent, a nonprofit called Tuskegee Dunes Foundation, reneged on the plan over the weekend.

While being questioned by reporters during a press conference on Wednesday, DeSantis tried to distance himself from the plan.

“They’re going back to the drawing board,” he declared. “Talk to your local communities.”

“Here’s the thing, I’d rather not spend any money on this, right,” he added. “I mean, if people don’t want improvements, then don’t do it.”

“And so, that’ll be something that citizens can be able to do,” DeSantis stated. “They’re not doing anything this year. They’re going to go back and basically listen to folks. A lot of that stuff was just half-baked, and it was not ready for prime time. When it was – and it was intentionally leaked to a left-wing group to try and create a narrative.”

In May, DeSantis announced that the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, a renowned landmark in Florida, will no longer be illuminated in rainbow colors to celebrate Pride Month but instead be lit red, white, and blue.

The decision, called “Freedom Summer,” is part of the governor’s initiative to celebrate the state’s identity as the “freest” in America. 

On June 7, the Florida Supreme Court upheld DeSantis’ decision to suspend former progressive state attorney Monique Worrell in August 2023.

He suspended Worrell through an executive order for neglect of duty and incompetence in failing to prosecute crimes. 

The former progressive state attorney has a long history of reducing or dropping charges against violent offenders, as well as drug traffickers and serious juvenile offenders.