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    Pitbull video funding controversy leads to shake-up at Florida’s tourism agency

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments3879 Views
    In this April 19, 2016 file photo, Pitbull appears at the eMerge Americas technology event in Miami Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)

    By Brendan Farrington

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) --

    Florida's tourism marketing agency had a management shake-up Friday after Gov. Rick Scott asked for the CEO to step down for refusing to publicly disclose the agency had paid rapper Pitbull $1 million to promote the state.

    Visit Florida CEO Will Seccombe "was in agreement" with the governor's call for leadership changes and he planned to work with the board on that, Visit Florida spokesman Tim DeClaire said in an email.

    DeClaire also said that the chief financial officer and chief marketing officer positions "were eliminated" on Friday.

    Scott also asked Visit Florida to begin publishing its spending, contracts, salaries, audits and other financial information.

    "The notion that Visit Florida spending would not be transparent to the taxpayers is just ridiculous. We must have major reforms at Visit Florida in the weeks ahead that require new leadership," Scott said in a letter to William Talbert, who chairs the agencies board of directors.

    The letter comes one day after Pitbull, whose real name is Armando Christian Perez, used Twitter to make his contract with Visit Florida public. House Speaker Richard Corcoran had sued two days earlier to have the contract released. Visit Florida had refused to disclose it, citing trade secrets.

    Seccombe has led the agency since 2012 after serving as its chief marketing officer for nearly five years.

    Pitbull filmed a video for his song "Sexy Beaches" as part of the contract and agreed to promote the hashtag #LOVEFL on his social media sites and at concerts.

    The video features images of women frolicking in the surf and sand as well as pictures of iconic Florida hotels such as Miami Beach's Fontainebleau and the pink Don CeSar Hotel in St. Pete Beach. It ends with an image of #LOVEFL written in the sand.

    Legislative leaders have criticized the agreement, but Scott's concern was more over the transparency — not the video or hiring Pitbull.

    "I appreciate Pitbull and his devotion to our great state. His willingness to help promote tourism in Florida is a great example for other entertainers to follow," Scott wrote.

    Tags:PitbullVisit Florida



    Kevin Costner to receive MPSE Filmmaker Award; Greg Hedgepath named recipient of MPSE Career Achievement honor

    Thursday, November 21, 2024
    Kevin Costner (photo courtesy of Kevin Costner)

    Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) will present Oscar®-winning filmmaker and actor Kevin Costner with the 2025 MPSE Filmmaker Award, bestowed annually to a filmmaker of distinction. And supervising sound editor Greg Hedgepath will receive the Career Achievement Award for his prolific career in sound editing. Both awards will be presented during MPSE’s 72nd Annual Golden Reel Awards Gala on February 23, 2025 at the Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles.

    The MPSE Filmmaker Award is bestowed upon an individual outside the sound community whose career has demonstrated a great appreciation and understanding of the impact of sound editing. The MPSE Career Achievement Award is presented to a person whose career has made a significant impact on the sound community through exemplary work, service or leadership.

    “Kevin Costner has captivated audiences with his powerful storytelling throughout his illustrious career,” said MPSE president David Barber. “From epic Westerns to poignant dramas, his use of sound as an integral component of his cinematic storytelling has stirred our emotions and immersed viewers in the worlds he’s created for decades. This passion for sound is abundantly clear in his latest ambitious project, the Horizon saga. We are thrilled to honor him with the Filmmaker Award, recognizing his exceptional contributions to the art of storytelling through sound in film and television.”

    Barber added, “Greg Hedgepath is a true titan in the world of sound. His contributions to cinema are immense, spanning decades and encompassing a remarkable range of genres. From the heart-pounding intensity of ‘Speed’ and ‘Twister’ to the nuanced drama of ‘Selma’ and ‘Straight Outta Compton’, Greg’s work has consistently elevated... Read More

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