Florida's state parks are in need of repair. A new state study says a backlog of projects includes everything from staff housing to replacing septic tanks.
The report by the state Department of Environmental Protection says the parks need about $760 million for repairs, maintenance and upgrades.
Here's what the report said in part:
"The analysis revealed that, over the next decade, an estimated $758,974,060 would be required to address projects necessary to repair, maintain and upgrade existing park infrastructure. These projects encompass a broad range of needs, including building and structural repairs, modernization of wastewater and stormwater systems, accessibility improvements and the replacement of aging utilities and visitor amenities."
What it doesn't say is how to pay for it.
Controversial plans to build golf courses and hotels in parks have been repeatedly killed. More than 100 people protested in 2024 at the state's most popular park, Honeymoon Island in Dunedin, when the state proposed putting pickleball courts there.
When he was governor, Rick Scott proposed allowing golf courses to be built in several state parks. He also wanted to privatize new campgrounds that would be built. These were also shot down after a burst of bipartisan outrage.
Eric Draper oversaw Florida's parks when they won a fourth national gold medal award in 2019. He said state leaders should put money into parks, because they generate a tremendous amount of economic activity.
"They're not giving parks the priority they should get, and I think this backlog of funding is one example," he said. "They love to claim credit of the four gold medals, but with that pride in our state parks should come some additional money so that we can fix them."
The state report backs his claim. It says, "In Fiscal Year 2024-25, Florida's award-winning state parks welcomed over 28 million visitors. These visits generated over $75 million in revenue."
Draper said that the funding shortage has been going on since he was Florida State Parks director from 2017-2021. He said when he became director, what shocked him the most was maintenance issues with buildings, trucks and more.
"Almost all facilities, roads, had long-term repair issues that just weren't being dealt with," he continued. "And the reason that they weren't being dealt with is because the legislature simply wasn't providing enough money in the annual budget to be able to catch up on this maintenance issue. At the time that I asked the staff to do an asset inventory and repair plan, we estimated about a billion-dollar backlog."
Draper said more revenue generated by concession fees should be returned to parks.
"Almost every park has a concessionaire, operating a snack bar or renting canoes or, in some cases, a hotel at Wakulla Springs," Draper said. "Those concessions bring about $7 million a year into the state park trust fund in terms of net, but the concessions only pay about 10% to 15% of the revenue that they get in the state parks. They might be operating a canoe rental service, and they might be making $100,000 a year, but of that was probably 10% would come back to the park."
Draper said the parks system has consistently been voted as one of the best in the entire nation. It has been awarded four national gold medals.
He says more money should be given out of the state's general revenue fund, because the state parks are an economic generator.
"It is hard to get general revenue, but in fact, the state should be putting general revenue and in state parks, because the state parks generate a tremendous amount of economic activity, and so, therefore, are generating sales tax," he said.
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