Critics demonstrate against DeSantis-backed development proposals for Florida state parks

Opponents of a plan supported by Governor Ron DeSantis to develop golf courses, hotels, pickleball courts, and other amenities at Florida state parks held protests at various sites as resistance intensifies against the proposal. The Department of Environmental Protection, under the Republican governor’s direction, revealed the plans recently, intending to hold limited public hearings near the affected parks. However, in response to escalating opposition, a golf course project at one park was scrapped, and hearings have been postponed until next week at the earliest, with uncertainty if they will proceed at all.
Democratic State Representative Lindsey Cross expressed concerns, stating that the proposal contradicts the essence of state parks, which are meant to be places to slow down and reconnect with nature. Approximately 150 individuals gathered at a rally at Honeymoon Island State Park, brandishing signs with messages like “Save Don’t Pave” and “Parks Over Profit.” Similar demonstrations occurred at three other parks and outside the state DEP headquarters in Tallahassee.
Critics, including Dunedin City Council member Jeff Gaw, asserted that the initiative, known as the “Great Outdoors Initiative,” is primarily driven by a desire for profit and overlooks the true purpose of state parks. Opposition has emerged from both Republican and Democratic leaders, as well as environmental organizations such as the Sierra Club and Cleo Institute.
Despite Florida’s 175 state parks, which encompass around 800,000 acres throughout the state and include some of the nation’s finest beaches, efforts to develop them have historically faced resistance. Advocates like Kim Begay from the Clearwater Audubon Society emphasized the need to persist in protecting these natural spaces.
The governor’s office has defended the plan as a strategy to attract more visitors to the parks through activities like golf, pickleball, and the addition of hotels. However, the overall proposal is still under consideration. A plan to introduce golf courses at Jonathan Dickinson State Park in southeast Florida was withdrawn after the primary supporter, the Tuskegee Dunes Foundation, retracted its involvement due to mounting objections.
Local resident Michelle Birnbaum emphasized the value of green spaces and criticized the notion of considering wild lands as wasted areas. She highlighted the economic significance of preserving parks and stressed that these spaces are invaluable assets in their own right.