HOBE SOUND—
Someday you might be able to strap the kayak to the top of the car, the bicycle to the rack on back, then throw the golf clubs inside the back with the camping gear, all for a trip to Jonathan Dickinson State Park.
State Rep. Pat Rooney, R-West Palm Beach, filed a bill on Friday that would allow at least five
Jack Nicklaus-designed golf courses to be built on state park land, including one capable of hosting a
U.S. Open within the 61-year-old, 11,500-acre park in southern Martin County named for a shipwrecked Quaker merchant.
House Bill 1239, with the companion bill Senate Bill 1846 sponsored by Sen. John Thrasher, R-Jacksonville, requires the construction of an 18-hole or more public golf course in the parks, "free from unnecessarily burdensome requirements," as a means to enhance tourism and create jobs.
Rooney said Nicklaus, a North Palm Beach resident, met with Gov.
Rick Scott just over a month ago to brainstorm ways to improve the economy, and later approached the Rooney family.
"We're trying to do something for tourism that's going to add some jobs, bring in some construction, and hopefully be a tourism draw," said Rooney, the chairman of the
Palm Beach County Golf Association. "I'm sure [Nicklaus] would work with as many environmental groups as possible to ensure the environmental elements there aren't compromised."
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/...,6975662.story
This is the closest Florida State park to me, and has a connector to the Florida Trail via the planned Ocean to Lake Trail.
It should be noted that the "Ronney Family" of the Tea Party clan, owns the local Dog Track/Poker concession and the Pittsburg Steelers. Also his brother is a member of the U.S. House from here.
Sorry didn't mean to get of topic here.