The secret’s out: Florida shelled out $1 million to rapper Pitbull for a sexy music video promoting Florida tourism.
Pitbull made the announcement on Twitter Thursday morning, releasing the contract between his production company, PDR Productions and Visit Florida, the state’s tourism agency.
“It’s been an honor to represent Miami and the Sunshine State,” Pitbull wrote Thursday. “I’ve taken Miami and Florida worldwide — WAY before any contract, and will do so way after. I love my home state. When asked to take on a New Year’s show, I INSISTED it be live from Florida. #LoveFL Since birth.....and till the day I die. Dale!”
The South Florida sensation’s disclosure comes after House Speaker Richard Corcoran filed a lawsuit Tuesday over the lack of transparency of the ad. Both the state's tourism agency and PDR refused to say exactly how much the agency paid Pitbull for the TV spot, which features Pitbull and various women in swimsuits dancing on the beach and drinking in Miami coupled with sexually suggestive lyrics.
The $1 million price tag included a $300,000 total fee for the use of Pitbull’s name and likeness on social media and any personal and promotional appearances during performances.
When the ad debuted, PDR Productions called the contract with Pitbull a “trade secret,” which meant disclosing that information could lead to a third-degree felony.
Corcoran and House attorneys disagreed, saying they didn’t believe there was a trade secret at work when it came to Pitbull’s contract.
House attorneys filed suit against the company Tuesday, claiming the state’s tourism agency, Visit Florida, resisted the House Appropriation Committee’s effort to obtain the contract based on advice from PDR’s lawyers that the information must be kept confidential.
Attorneys said Visit Florida ultimately handed over a copy of the contract to the House, but not before PDR’s legal counsel meddled in the business, advising the House Appropriations Committee the contract was confidential and not to be shared.
That, Corcoran said, impeded on lawmakers’ requirements to be transparent and to ensure public funds are properly spent. PDR’s threats of a lawsuit, attorneys wrote, presented a “real and immediate need” for a declaration of the House’s right to disclose the terms of the contract.
On Thursday, Corcoran said the entire legal journey to get the contract publicized was a “long, unnecessary journey” and said the House would not fail to continue to push against entities keeping taxpayer-funded ventures secret.
“It is unfortunate that it took litigation to lift the veil of secrecy on this particular contract,” Corcoran said. “This was a long unnecessary journey through claims of trade secrets, threats of prosecution, and corporate welfare paid for by taxpayers. The people’s House will not hesitate to use every tool at our disposal to protect the taxpayer and ensure transparency is the rule and not the exception in state government. It is my hope that the coverage this issue received will foster a larger discussion of the proper role of government in the free market and the need to end the idea that government as ‘venture capitalist’ is good for our economy.”
View the contract below.
Reach reporter Allison Nielsen by email at allison@sunshinestatenews.com or follow her on Twitter: @AllisonNielsen.
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