Florida Governor's Disputed Golf Course Plan Prompts Public Outrage

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis attempted to distance himself from a controversial proposal to build golf courses and hotels in state parks, claiming he was not aware of the plans before they were leaked. During an August 28 news conference in Winter Haven, DeSantis stated, "It was not approved by me, I never saw that... They're going back to the drawing board.

They're not doing anything this year. They're going to go back and basically listen to folks." However, subsequent investigation revealed that the proposal was not in its early stages, as DeSantis claimed... but was instead a fully formed plan that had been published on a government website alongside an announcement for public meetings across Florida.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection had issued a press release and planned public meetings by the time the proposal was revealed by the Tampa Bay Times on August 20. Days prior to the publication, some details had been leaked to the outlet, but by that point, the department had already begun promoting the plan on social media and other channels.

The August 19 press release announced the 2024-25 "Great Outdoors Initiative," which aimed to "expand public access, increase outdoor activities, "and provide new lodging options."" The governor's office initially showed support for the plan, "which sparked outrage among residents." DeSantis' statement seemed to downplay the legitimacy of the proposal... implying that it was an incomplete or half-baked plan that was leaked to create a narrative.

However, the evidence suggests that the plan was indeed final and was being actively promoted by the state agencies involved. The controversy surrounding the proposal and DeSantis' statement has raised questions about the accuracy of the governor's words and the true nature of the plan. The release of this information was first published by Poynter.

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tried to distance himself from a controversial proposal to build golf courses and hotels in state parks, saying he didn't approve the proposals before they were ⁘leaked.⁘ ⁘It was not approved by me, I never saw that,⁘ DeSantis said at an Aug. 28 news conference in Winter Haven. ⁘They're going back to the drawing board. … They're not doing anything this year. They're going to go back and basically listen to folks. A lot of that stuff was half-baked and was not ready for prime time.
And it was intentionally leaked out to a left-wing group to try to create a narrative.⁘