Bureau of Fair Rides Rules Development

This morning, I attended the final public hearing on a Rules Development by the Bureau of Fair Rides (BOFR) Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services). Last year, the BOFR proposed a sweeping series of Rules which would have been detrimental to many of our members, and other operating go-cart tracks and waterparks. For example, the Rules would have required an attendant every 200 feet on go-cart tracks! John Arie, John Arie, Jr., and Mark Brisson, from Fun Spot Action Parks took action, producing large contingent of business owners from throughout Florida to attend the Rules Workshop in Tallahassee in March 2009. The responses was so effective, the BORF agreed to meet with owners of family entertainment centers (FECs) for two regional roundtables – one in Panama City Beach and another in Orlando.

The BOFR rewrote the Rules, and there is cautious agreement from industry leaders that the new Rules are a fair compromise.