Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersJanuary 25, 2017

Florida’s tourism economy grew by nearly 4 percent in 2015 and brought almost $109 billion worth of economic activity to the Sunshine State, according to a new survey released by VISIT Florida Wednesday. The growth was slower than was seen in the previous five years but still added $4.1 billion in new money to the […]

Peter SchorschJanuary 19, 2017

David Wilkins, who led the state’s perennially troubled child welfare agency, is now helping new CEO Ken Lawson right the ship at VISIT FLORIDA. An internal email sent Wednesday and shared with FloridaPolitics.com says Wilkins, secretary of the Department of Children and Families under Gov. Rick Scott in 2011-13, is “assisting VISIT FLORIDA in the review […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJanuary 10, 2017

Matilde Miller will take the helm of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation — at least temporarily. Gov. Rick Scott announced Tuesday Miller was named the interim secretary of DBPR, replacing former Secretary Ken Lawson. “Matilde has spent many years at DBPR serving in numerous leadership positions and understands how important it is to […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJanuary 10, 2017

The House Commerce Committee is poised to tackle everything from assignment of benefits to economic incentives, but it’s the most narrowly defined subcommittee that could be the busiest in the months leading up to, and during, the 2017 Legislative Session. The full House Commerce Committee, chaired by Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, met Tuesday morning to […]

Peter SchorschJanuary 10, 2017

Ken Lawson, the secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, now will be the next president and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA, the state’s public-private tourism agency. The move comes a few days after FloridaPolitics.com suggested that he was Gov. Rick Scott‘s preferred choice to lead the embattled organization. The VISIT FLORIDA board voted Tuesday morning on […]

Peter SchorschJanuary 6, 2017

Is Ken Lawson the right man to right the state’s beleaguered tourism agency? The smart money in Tallahassee now is betting on Gov. Rick Scott to move Lawson, his secretary of Business and Professional Regulation, to head VISIT FLORIDA, the state’s “official tourism marketing corporation.” As you’ll recall, Scott called on former CEO Will Seccombe […]

Jim RosicaDecember 30, 2016

From algebra to Zika, 2016 brought a plethora of material to the Capitol Press Corps. Trying to pick the top state government stories is a subjective pursuit, to say the least, but here are the FloridaPolitics.com picks for the passing year. In (kind of) chronological order: — Kevin McCarty ousted as state Insurance Commissioner, replaced by […]

Staff ReportsDecember 21, 2016

VISIT FLORIDA‘s CEO could receive more than $300,000 in salary and performance pay as part of his severance package. The Naples Daily News reported Wednesday that Will Seccombe, the outgoing head of the state’s tourism agency, could receive over $326,000 in salary and performance pay if that deal is approved. Later Wednesday, the agency’s executive committee authorized […]

Guest AuthorDecember 19, 2016

At a time of year when every Floridian should be especially thankful for the arrival of tourists across the state, some of our lawmakers in Tallahassee seem to have taken on the role of the Grinch who stole Christmas. The escalating attacks against VISIT FLORIDA … a proven marketing effort that has driven millions of […]

Scott PowersDecember 16, 2016

Gov. Rick Scott called on Visit Florida’s Executive Director Will Seccombe to resign Friday afternoon, continuing a bloodbath at the pseudo-state agency that saw two other top executives fired earlier in the fallout from how it handled a marketing contract with Miami rapper superstar Pitbull. In a letter the governor sent to Visit Florida’s board […]

Tag: Visit Florida

Tourism business up 4 percent in 2015 to $108 billion, VISIT Florida reports

David Wilkins consulting at struggling VISIT FLORIDA

Rick Scott selects Matilde Miller to serve as interim DBPR secretary

Seminole Compact, other gambling issues expected to be top priority in House Commerce committee

Ken Lawson picked as next head of VISIT FLORIDA

Could Ken Lawson next be tapped to head VISIT FLORIDA?

Jim Rosica’s review of top state government stories in 2016

Report: Will Seccombe could receive over $300K in severance

Don Fox: VISIT FLORIDA makes good business, common sense

Visit Florida housecleaning continues: Rick Scott calls on chief Will Seccombe to resign, board to publish business