Flordia Parks Blueprints Now Confidential

[Hercules]

The Florida Legislature just voted unanimously to ensure that theme-park blueprints on file with government agencies remain confidential.

 

The measure, approved by a 40-0 vote minutes ago in the Florida Senate, continues a five-year-old public-records exemption for building plans, blueprints, schematic drawings and diagrams that depict certain attractions or recreation facilities, entertainment or resort complexes, industrial complexes, retail and service developments, office developments or hotels or motels.

 

The "entertainment or resort complex" category is designed to cover the big parks: Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Check out the definition of the category in the law: "A theme park comprised of at least 25 acres of land with permanent exhibitions and a variety of recreational activities, which has at least 1 million visitors annually who pay admission fees thereto, together with any lodging, dining and recreational facilities adjacent to, contiguous to, or in close proximity to the theme park, as long as the owners or operators of the theme park, or a parent or related company or subsidiary thereof, has an equity interest in the lodging, dining or recreational facilities or is in privity therewith." ("Close proximity" means within five-mile radius of the theme park.)

 

Boosters say the public-records exemption helps protect the parks and other high-profile or high-traffic businesses from acts of terrorism.

 

The bill (HB 7017) passed the Florida House of Representatives earlier this week by a 114-0 vote. It now heads to the governor, who will no doubt sign it into law.

 

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/business_tourism_aviation/2009/04/legislature-votes-to-keep-themepark-blueprints-confidential.html

[Electerik]

Obviously, this has nothing to do with terrorists. The big boys just threw their weight around because they don't want pesky enthusiasts snooping around and exposing their plans.

 

Which I'm actually okay with. But, really, terrorists?

[netdvn]

I'm wondering...

 

Aren't the plans for new rides/attractions already kept confidential to the point that pesky enthusiasts and employees from rival companies cannot get their hands them? Unless the plans somehow get leaked, I don't really understand why the Orlando parks have to pass a bill claiming that blueprints for rides/attractions should remain confidential, especially when they're already confidential to begin with.

 

And what would terrorists do with ride/attraction blueprints anyway???

[Homer]

^Have you not seen the movie Rollercoaster? Cheesily plausible.