DeSantis administration plan to develop parks draws rare bipartisan opposition

TALLAHASSEE, Florida — In a rare show of bipartisan resistance, the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis is running into opposition over a newly-announced plan to add golf courses and lodging to several renowned Florida parks.

The proposal quickly triggered criticism not just from environmental groups but also from leading Republican political figures, including Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and Rep. Matt Gaetz .

The proposal from the Department of Environmental Protection, dubbed the “ Great Outdoors Initiative ,” would add pickleball courts, golf courses and additional cabins and lodges at state parks and beaches across the state.

Simpson said he had not even heard about the proposal until media outlets such as The Tampa Bay Times publicized the fast-moving plans that will be the subject of public hearings next week. The state announced the meetings Tuesday.

“Public lands should be enjoyed and protected, but we have to be really careful when we talk about building infrastructure on state parks,” Simpson said in a statement. “Just because we can do something doesn’t mean we should do it.”

DeSantis has not commented publicly on the initiative. Jeremy Redfern, the governor’s press secretary, said in an email that the state's department of environmental protection and parks division are “looking at recommendations for ways to enhance Florida’s parks to make them more visitor-friendly.”

He said the initial proposals were based on public input and "may not all be approved," and final decisions would be made after the public comment and review period.

“Teddy Roosevelt believed that public parks were for the benefit and enjoyment of the people, and we agree with him,” Redfern said. “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.”

DEP also has pushed back on social media by asserting there was a “lot of confusion” about the proposals. The agency said on X that there was high demand for overnight visitation at several state parks and additional recreational opportunities such as pickleball at Grayton Beach State Park.

“Pickleball continues to be the fastest growing sport in the U.S., so why not add it to one of our most visited parks?” the agency said.

The response didn’t seem to assuage critics such as Passidomo, who said in a post on social media that the administration's proposal conflicts with the "the peaceful and quiet enjoyment of nature" of state parks intended by legislators. "I am open to other ideas, but from what I know at this time, the proposal should not move forward in its current form,” she said.

Sen. Jay Trumbull (R-Panama City), whose district includes some of the parks included in the initiative, said in a social media post that he is in "strong opposition" to the plan.

“Our state parks should not be in the business of competing with private enterprise to provide lodging or other commercial amenities,” Trumbull wrote. “Our state parks are a treasure and they should remain focused on their primary mission: offering a refuge for those who seek to experience Florida’s natural beauty in its purest form.”

Democrats have also expressed opposition to the plan. Carlos Guillermo Smith, an Orlando Democrat who will be sworn into the state Senate n November, called it a “reckless desecration of state lands.”