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Sports Foundation President Denies 'Living The High Life'

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The Associated Press

Published: February 20, 2009

TALLAHASSEE - The president of the Florida Sports Foundation said Thursday that the organization is not wasteful and he is mystified as to why it is being criticized by a Senate committee.

Larry Pendleton disputed the allegations made by Sen. Mike Fasano, who chairs the Senate committee that approves money for the foundation. Fasano lambasted the sports promotion group Wednesday and said state dollars would no longer be used to pay some $600,000 in salaries, including the $190,000 earned by Pendleton.

Fasano, R-New Port Richey, said foundation executives, staff and board members spent excessively for its quarterly meetings, stayed in luxurious hotels and ate at the most expensive restaurants. The foundation was created to help attract major sports events to Florida, such as Super Bowls, professional golf tournaments and baseball spring training, as well as lesser known events.

"They are many questions by the members on how they've used their dollars and what they get in return," Fasano said.

"It's been a luxury too long for few people," Fasano said. "Major changes are coming."

Pendleton, however, denied that the foundation spent $6,000 on a meal for staff and its 30 board members, including nine professional team owners.

He said the foundation spent $6,249 on meals for three dozen people at its September and December meetings combined.

"I don't think we're living the high life," Pendleton said. "We don't think we've abused anything."

Pendleton, a former assistant athletic director at Florida State University, said he assured the committee that he'd begin paying salaries from a private fund beginning in the new fiscal year that starts July 1.

The foundation has an annual budget of $3.2 million, of which $200,000 is from general revenue and the remainder from a trust fund that receives money from the license plate sales of Florida professional sports franchises.

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