According to a Florida authority, the group behind the golf course in the state park is withdrawing its plans

The group behind the plan to build golf courses in Jonathan Dickinson State Park is withdrawing its proposal, a Florida Department of Environmental Protection spokesman told the Tampa Bay Times on Sunday.

In a statement, the state agency said the plan for the state park was submitted by the Tuskegee Dunes Foundation, a little-known group registered as a nonprofit corporation in Delaware. However, its lobbyist registrations in Florida list the group at the same Oklahoma address as Folds of Honor, a national veterans’ aid organization that previously lobbied for golf course construction at Jonathan Dickinson State Park.

The Tampa Bay Times reported yesterday that Folds of Honor, which has ties to famed golfer Jack Nicklaus, had previously pitched the golf course proposal to a state senator and a county commissioner in Martin County — both of whom told the group it was a bad idea. Gov. DeSantis’ schedule shows he held a one-on-one meeting with the nonprofit’s founder, Lt. Col. Dan Rooney, on April 10.

In a statement circulated among journalists in Florida, the Tuskeegee Dunes Foundation said it had chosen Folds of Honor as the charity to receive the golf course revenue. Conservative podcast host Dan Bongino, who lives in Martin County, where the proposed golf course is to be built, said in an online statement Sunday that he had spoken with his friends at Folds of Honor and they “have no plans to move forward with this project.” Bongino, who has donated thousands to the nonprofit himself, said the group “simply did not understand the local passion for JD Park.”

Although Tuskeegee Dunes is not particularly well-known, the foundation has two registered lobbyists in Tallahassee, including Ryan Matthews, who briefly headed the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in 2017. Neither Matthews nor the group’s other lobbyist, Joseph Salzverg, immediately responded to voicemails Sunday seeking more information about the group.

“The Florida Department of Environmental Protection appreciates the Tuskegee Dunes Foundation’s well-intentioned proposal for a public golf course at Jonathan Dickinson State Park. Although they are withdrawing their proposal, the foundation worked with the state to advance a project that would have created a public, world-class golf course for all while supporting veterans, first responders and their families. Their plan to honor the Tuskegee Airmen was noble,” spokesman Alex Kuchta wrote in a statement.

Kuchta concluded the emailed statement by saying, “This project is being removed from the agency’s review.” The Times asked if that means the agency is dropping the idea of ​​a golf course at Jonathan Dickinson State Park entirely or just Tuskegee Dunes’ involvement. There was no response as of Sunday evening.

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A statement from the group was posted on the Tuskeegee Dunes website Sunday that began: “No golf at Jonathan Dickinson State Park.” The group also sent the same statement to the Times, noting that it had worked with the state of Florida on the proposal and “received clear feedback that Jonathan Dickinson State Park is not the right location” for the golf course.

The Department of Environmental Protection’s comments on Sunday made no mention of a change of course for the other eight state parks, where construction of hotels, pickleball courts and more is also planned.

The developments follow a weekend of protests across the country. Thousands gathered at state parks that are being considered for new development projects, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. More than a hundred people gathered on Honeymoon Island on Saturday and Sunday. Hundreds also gathered at Anastasia State Park and Jonathan Dickinson State Park to protest the state’s plans.

Times writer Emily Mahoney contributed to this report.