VISIT FLORIDA and PITBULL

Jim RosicaMay 12, 2017
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5min217
VISIT FLORIDA is saying ‘oops’ over what it calls a “clerical error” showing it made advertising buys in several Middle Eastern countries, including Syria, listed by the feds as a “state sponsor of terrorism.” The state’s embattled tourism marketing arm “was recently alerted to a clerical error in a short-term contract with the international advertising agency […]

Jim RosicaMay 8, 2017

5min720
House members on Monday approved a measure dealing with VISIT FLORIDA and Enterprise Florida funding on a 74-34 vote. If vetoed, however, the “conforming bill” would need 80 votes to overcome Gov. Rick Scott‘s red pen. Both chambers have begun discussing the 2017-18 state budget, which wasn’t completed on time to finish the 2017 Legislative Session last Friday. […]

Staff ReportsApril 5, 2017
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3min353
Cynthia Hefren is coming home: She will be VISIT FLORIDA‘s next chief financial officer, President & CEO Ken Lawson announced Wednesday. Hefren most recently was Assistant State Audit Supervisor for the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor. But she’s a Florida state government veteran, previously serving as: — Director of Auditing for the Florida Department of […]

Jim RosicaMarch 14, 2017
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4min189
With VISIT FLORIDA chief Ken Lawson acting as hype man, Gov. Rick Scott held a Tuesday rally inside the Florida Capitol to “save” the embattled tourism organization. Scott, not normally a high-energy performer, worked up the crowd of hundreds in the building’s rotunda with the help of CFO Jeff Atwater and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. In the […]

Jim RosicaMarch 10, 2017
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3min336
VISIT FLORIDA, the state’s tourism marketing agency, will be subject to greater oversight under a bill passed the Florida House Friday. State representatives passed the measure (HB 9), sponsored by Paul Renner of Palm Coast, by a vote of 80-35. Its reception in the Senate will likely not be warm: That chamber has not moved a […]

Jim RosicaMarch 9, 2017

4min226
House Democrats on Thursday grilled the sponsor of a bill that would overhaul and clamp down on VISIT FLORIDA, the state’s tourism marketing agency. The full House began its consideration of the measure (HB 9) with questions to bill sponsor Paul Renner, a Palm Coast Republican. “It is simply a bill about accountability,” he said. […]

Jim RosicaMarch 9, 2017

3min190
As the House gets ready to start considering a bill to overhaul VISIT FLORIDA, its sponsor filed an amendment to dilute some of its strict requirements. The measure (HB 9) will be on the House floor today (Thursday) for questions. Rep. Paul Renner, a Palm Coast Republican, filed the amendment Tuesday, records show. It would […]


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