Group abandons plans for golf courses in Jonathan Dickinson State Park

A mysterious foundation called Tuskegee Dunes, whose lobbyists in Florida include a former secretary of the US Department of Environmental Protection, says it is behind the controversial plans for golf courses in Jonathan Dickinson State Park – and is now withdrawing the plans.

The Delaware-registered foundation said in a statement sent to the Palm Beach Post late Friday that the golf courses and other facilities told the “inspiring story of the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African-American military pilots and aviators who fought in World War II.”

However, faced with strong opposition from park enthusiasts, lawmakers and environmental groups, the government backtracked on the project on Sunday, sending a note to media representatives and through political commentator Daniel Bongino saying it would no longer pursue the proposal.

“Serving God and country is our daily goal,” said the statement Bongino posted on Facebook. “That was the spirit behind the idea of bringing world-class golf to Southeast Florida… We have received clear feedback that Jonathan Dickinson State Park is not the right location. We have not understood the local community landscape and appreciate the clarity. We will not move forward with building in beloved Jonathan Dickinson State Park.”

It was the latest twist in a saga that began a week ago with the leak of documents to environmental advocates detailing plans to develop three public golf courses in Jonathan Dickinson as part of the state’s 2024-2025 Great Outdoors Initiative.

The ensuing fervor of discontent led the state to postpone public meetings scheduled for Tuesday and numerous politicians to denounce what many said they knew nothing about. U.S. Rep. Brian Mast (Republican of Palm City) said he had not found anyone familiar with the courses and would use Florida’s Sunshine Law to get more information about the “proposed plan to bulldoze Jonathan Dickinson State Park.”

“Our community deserves answers,” Mast said Saturday.

But the Tuskegee Dunes Foundation’s statement Sunday withdrawing from the project still raises questions. Mast reposted the statement on his Facebook page, but in the absence of a comment from any state agency or an online presence for Tuskegee Dunes, some are questioning the credibility of the statement and whether Bongino’s post came from a fake account.

Jessica Namath, a Tequesta resident and leader in the fight against the golf courses, said on social media that the resistance must continue until the DEP confirms that the plan has failed. “If the state agency decides at the last minute not to keep Jonathan Dickinson State Park in the running, we must focus on supporting the other Florida state parks,” Namath said.

“Everyone is of the opinion that we need to see something official,” Namath told the Palm Beach Post on Sunday. “We have a lot of questions. Why is (Bongino) the one sending this out? I think that raises more questions. We’re not going to buy it or believe it until we see something official.”

In his personal note, Bonginos mentions the nonprofit charity Folds of Honor, which had previously tried to push through the golf course plan at Jonathan Dickinson but was rebuffed. The Oklahoma-based Folds of Honor organization, which provides scholarships to the families of fallen or disabled military members and first responders, had not been identified as being involved in the current plan.

“My good friends at Folds of Honor also assured me that they do not want to move forward with this project,” said Bongino, who lives in Palm City. “They are great people doing great things. They just did not understand the passion the locals have for JD Park. They listened to us and did the right thing.”

What is the Tuskegee Dunes Foundation?

Due to strict corporate privacy laws in Delaware, no information is available on individuals associated with the Tuskegee Dunes Foundation. According to the Delaware Division of Corporations, the foundation, which was created in August 2021, is listed as having $436 in back taxes.

Tuskegee Dunes’ statement also does not include any information about where Tuskegee Dunes is based, whether it is a nonprofit, a website address, board members or its history. The website, TuskegeeDunesFoundation.com, says the organization will “launch soon.”

More: High Schools in Congress: Growing Concerns Over Development of Jonathan Dickinson State Park

Tuskegee Dunes’ original announcement when the company was promoting the plan stated that profits from Jonathan Dickinson’s golf courses would be donated to Folds of Honor.

Florida lobbying records list Ryan E. Matthews as representing the Tuskegee Dunes Foundation, which lists the same Owasso, Oklahoma, address as Folds of Honor. Matthews, who now works at the law firm GrayRobinson, served as interim secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection under former Gov. Rick Scott, serving for four months in 2017.

Phone and email messages to Matthews were not answered over the weekend.

Folds of Honor is also affiliated with American Dunes Golf Club in Grand Haven, Michigan.

The founding of American Dunes in 2018 was led by North Palm Beach-based golf legend Jack Nicklaus, who donated his $3 million design fee, according to the American Dunes website. American Dunes’ motto is “The Church that Jack Built. God. Land. Golf.”

In 2011, lawmakers attempted to add golf courses to state parks by passing a bill that would have created the Jack Nicklaus Golf Trail of Florida. The only park specifically mentioned in the House bill was Jonathan Dickinson, the park closest to Nicklaus’s home in North Palm Beach.

After public outcry, the bills were quickly withdrawn.

Last week, Nicklaus Companies, which is no longer associated with founder Jack Nicklaus, said it had nothing to do with the recent golf course plans. The Nicklaus Companies statement stressed that the plans came solely from the companies – Nicklaus Companies and Nicklaus Design – and not from Jack Nicklaus personally.

“We are very proud of the Nicklaus name, our reputation and the work we do at Nicklaus Design – especially when it comes to environmental and community responsibility,” the Nicklaus Companies statement said. “Florida is home to our company and many of our employees are regular visitors to our beautiful state parks. You can be assured that everything we do is consistent with these principles.”

According to Tuskegee Dunes, the proposed golf courses would occupy about 600 of Jonathan Dickinson State Park’s 10,500 acres and include 36 holes designed by “world-class golf course designers.” The proposed design would have included a nine-hole course called Red Tail that would be fully handicap accessible under the Americans With Disabilities Act. A practice park would also serve as an outdoor gathering place for local community events.

Tuskegee Dunes filed several trademarks in June 2023, including for the design and development of golf courses.

Mountain bike and hiking trails would have been included in the plans and “improvements would be made to the observation tower,” according to the statement sent to The Washington Post on Friday.

More: Jonathan Dickinson State Park was named after a shipwrecked Quaker: 5 remarkable facts

“There are few public golf courses in Southeast Florida, including the Jupiter area,” Tuskegee Dunes said in a statement Friday. “Overall, 85% of the Southeast Corridor is private golf courses. This is a dramatic contrast to the national average of 80% public or private golf courses.”

Eric Draper, who served as director of the Florida Park Service for four years until 2021, expressed disappointment that a former DEP secretary may have been involved in an attempt to “take away our state parks.”

“If everyone hadn’t voiced their opinion, I think the governor and the DEP would have gone through with this whole thing,” Draper said. “That’s why I’m so proud of what everyone did. That’s what the governor doesn’t understand: the parks belong to the people.”

Sen. Gayle Harrell (R-Stuart) said Folds of Honor approached her last year and asked if she would support legislation aimed at bringing golf specifically to Jonathan Dickinson State Park. They emphasized the benefits the golf project could bring to veterans.

“They gave a great presentation about what they’re doing in Michigan,” Harrell said Saturday. “I told them, ‘That’s a great idea, but you don’t do that in a state park.'”

“This is not an appropriate use,” she continued, calling the park “a natural treasure of the Treasure Coast.”

“The state parks are designed to protect the natural habitat and environment of the area and preserve it for future generations,” she said. Harrell said she is passionate about helping veterans — her daughter is one herself and married to another. But there is a limit.

“Golf courses are wonderful – somewhere else, not at Jonathan Dickinson State Park.”

Additional amenities such as pickleball courts, disc golf and 350-bed lodges have also been proposed for eight other state parks.

Palm Beach Post staff writer Anne Geggis and editor Holly Baltz contributed to this article.

Kimberly Miller is a journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network of Florida. She covers real estate, weather and the environment. Subscribe to The Dirt for a weekly real estate roundup. If you have news tips, please send them to [email protected]. Support our local journalism and subscribe today.

What is the Tuskegee Dunes Foundation?

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