Topsail Hill Sites Being Repaired??

Dog Folks wrote:
To brag a little more: The Florida State park system has won the best state park in the nation award, THREE times.

No other state park system has even won twice.

The system motto is "The Real Florida" and everyone works hard to meet that goal.

Agree 100%

Original poster here...lot's of interesting discussion, but no answer to my question. Anyway, I did find something interesting today in the paper from the head of Florida Parks (or something like that) Jon Steverson

"He, Steverson, referred to Topsail Hill, a beachfront state park near Destin, as "one of my top money-makers." With $2.7 million in annual revenue, the park is 219 percent self sustaining...


I guess you could say they spend the money where the money is being spent?? Sounds reasonable to me.

Dutch Oven Man wrote:
Original poster here...lot's of interesting discussion, but no answer to my question. Anyway, I did find something interesting today in the paper from the head of Florida Parks (or something like that) Jon Steverson

"He, Steverson, referred to Topsail Hill, a beachfront state park near Destin, as "one of my top money-makers." With $2.7 million in annual revenue, the park is 219 percent self sustaining...


I guess you could say they spend the money where the money is being spent?? Sounds reasonable to me.

Thats because they charge twice the regular state park rate and no other reason. I made my original observation about funding from many years of watching this go down. They dump millions into Topsail yearly and let St Andrews just down the coastline rot away when it has far more visitors each year. Topsail is the favored park and some politicians "pet" park for no good reason. As for there being no other state parks in Florida like it, it's a good thing but there are plenty of Florida State park campgrounds that have FHU sites and have been refurbished in the last 10 years and far exceed the expeience that can be had at Topsail.

fla-gypsy wrote:

Dutch Oven Man wrote:
Original poster here...lot's of interesting discussion, but no answer to my question. Anyway, I did find something interesting today in the paper from the head of Florida Parks (or something like that) Jon Steverson

"He, Steverson, referred to Topsail Hill, a beachfront state park near Destin, as "one of my top money-makers." With $2.7 million in annual revenue, the park is 219 percent self sustaining...


I guess you could say they spend the money where the money is being spent?? Sounds reasonable to me.

Thats because they charge twice the regular state park rate and no other reason. I made my original observation about funding from many years of watching this go down. They dump millions into Topsail yearly and let St Andrews just down the coastline rot away when it has far more visitors each year. Topsail is the favored park and some politicians "pet" park for no good reason. As for there being no other state parks in Florida like it, it's a good thing but there are plenty of Florida State park campgrounds that have FHU sites and have been refurbished in the last 10 years and far exceed the expeience that can be had at Topsail.

Interesting mix of opinion, and to be charitable an "odd" perspective on how business works. Topsail is one of the most successful and popular state parks in the system. It has a fantastic ROI. The state is being responsible by spending wisely, and devoting some of the revenue stream to repairing the challenging and substandard infrastructure. As for charging twice as much? A quick check of rvparkreviews.com shows the two closest state parks show rates of $30-$33, and private CGs are anywhere from $60-$114.

So the park is typically full, the rates are low compared to the competition, and the operation is a real money maker for the state........ sounds horrible...........:R

soren wrote:

fla-gypsy wrote:

Dutch Oven Man wrote:
Original poster here...lot's of interesting discussion, but no answer to my question. Anyway, I did find something interesting today in the paper from the head of Florida Parks (or something like that) Jon Steverson

"He, Steverson, referred to Topsail Hill, a beachfront state park near Destin, as "one of my top money-makers." With $2.7 million in annual revenue, the park is 219 percent self sustaining...


I guess you could say they spend the money where the money is being spent?? Sounds reasonable to me.

Thats because they charge twice the regular state park rate and no other reason. I made my original observation about funding from many years of watching this go down. They dump millions into Topsail yearly and let St Andrews just down the coastline rot away when it has far more visitors each year. Topsail is the favored park and some politicians "pet" park for no good reason. As for there being no other state parks in Florida like it, it's a good thing but there are plenty of Florida State park campgrounds that have FHU sites and have been refurbished in the last 10 years and far exceed the expeience that can be had at Topsail.

Interesting mix of opinion, and to be charitable an "odd" perspective on how business works. Topsail is one of the most successful and popular state parks in the system. It has a fantastic ROI. The state is being responsible by spending wisely, and devoting some of the revenue stream to repairing the challenging and substandard infrastructure. As for charging twice as much? A quick check of rvparkreviews.com shows the two closest state parks show rates of $30-$33, and private CGs are anywhere from $60-$114.

So the park is typically full, the rates are low compared to the competition, and the operation is a real money maker for the state........ sounds horrible...........:R

Well accept you totally ignored the fact that St Andrews draws many more visitors each year and is only 30+ miles away and is allowed to fall into disrepair while Topsail spends millions each year on "improvements" like a new sign, entrance, etc. Having spent time the last few years at many state parks in Florida it is quite obvious some connected politician is influential in how state park infrastructure money is dolled out to their favorite park.

If the state parks are falling into disrepair then maybe they need to raise the fees on all state parks. Of course that is if the monies collected are used to repair that state park.
Don

Maybe they will use the money for proper storm water drainage, and maybe increase the space between sites. This place looks like an RV parking lot to me.

fla-gypsy wrote:

Well accept you totally ignored the fact that St Andrews draws many more visitors each year and is only 30+ miles away and is allowed to fall into disrepair while Topsail spends millions each year on "improvements" like a new sign, entrance, etc. Having spent time the last few years at many state parks in Florida it is quite obvious some connected politician is influential in how state park infrastructure money is dolled out to their favorite park.

Sorry, but I'm not buying it. I have stayed there recently, and spent a decades long career as a contractor. I'm well aware of what "spending millions" looks like, having done it many times. The park is fairly well maintained, but in now way are there any signs of extravagance, particularly millions of dollars wasted.
finally, I did indeed ignore your issue with St. Andrews, and the condition of a hundred other facilities in the system, since it has nothing to do with this conversation.

You have a serious chip on your shoulder, and firmly believe that money is being wasted on a profitable, and popular park. I'm sure all the information that you base your "beliefs" on is a matter of public record. Why not dig up the facts and post them? Might take a while, since your search for the "wasted millions at Topsail"" might be a long one.

soren wrote:

fla-gypsy wrote:

Well accept you totally ignored the fact that St Andrews draws many more visitors each year and is only 30+ miles away and is allowed to fall into disrepair while Topsail spends millions each year on "improvements" like a new sign, entrance, etc. Having spent time the last few years at many state parks in Florida it is quite obvious some connected politician is influential in how state park infrastructure money is dolled out to their favorite park.

Sorry, but I'm not buying it. I have stayed there recently, and spent a decades long career as a contractor. I'm well aware of what "spending millions" looks like, having done it many times. The park is fairly well maintained, but in now way are there any signs of extravagance, particularly millions of dollars wasted.
finally, I did indeed ignore your issue with St. Andrews, and the condition of a hundred other facilities in the system, since it has nothing to do with this conversation.

You have a serious chip on your shoulder, and firmly believe that money is being wasted on a profitable, and popular park. I'm sure all the information that you base your "beliefs" on is a matter of public record. Why not dig up the facts and post them? Might take a while, since your search for the "wasted millions at Topsail"" might be a long one.

You ignored it because you have no answer and as a lifelong resident of the state I do indeed know what I am saying and have frequented more state parks in Florida than the average citizen or visitor. The inequity is quite clear.

I don't have a dog in the fight, as I'm not a Florida resident. But if Topsail Hill is bringing in money, and it would appear that it is. They should spend some of that money there. You just got to keep the cash cow fat. And there is a large difference between making money from tourists, and having lots of locals come bike and spend time at the beach. Topsail Hill brings in tourist dollars, they charge more and it seems to stay full. And I’d bet very few visitors to Topsail Hill are Florida residents.
As for the politics of why this place gets money and the next doesn't, I most likely agree with you. Someone doesn't like "X" place and they get the shaft.