Arek Sarkissian

Naples (Fla.) Daily News

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Rick Scott on Friday called on the leader of the state's tourism arm to resign in an effort to promote transparency after the agency refused to release details of a $1 million tourism contract with rapper Pitbull.

In a letter to VISIT FLORIDA Chairman William D. Talbert III, Scott said Will Seccombe should no longer lead the agency. Scott urged a plan to release agency spending details, potential returns on investment, and salaries. Seccombe works for the agency's board.

“The major changes outlined above require new leadership and ideas at the agency, and I believe it would be best for the future efforts of VISIT FLORIDA for Will (Seccombe) to step down and allow new leadership to come in at this critical time,” Scott wrote.

Florida House files suit to release Pitbull contract

Before Scott sent his letter, Seccombe had fired VISIT FLORIDA Chief Financial Officer Vangie Fields and Chief Marketing Officer Paul Phipps, VISIT FLORIDA spokeswoman Kathy Torian said. Torian said Seccombe has agreed to leave his job and he will establish an official departure date with Talbert and the VISIT FLORIDA board.

Seccombe, Phipps and Fields were involved in a $1 million contract with Pitbull, which the Miami performer's lawyers demanded be withheld from public view, citing trade secret concerns. After Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran asked a judge this week to rule whether the contract details amounted to trade secrets, Pitbull released the full contract on his Twitter account.

The one-year contract Seccombe signed with Pitbull’s lawyer in August 2015 allowed the state’s tourism promotion agency to make a video with the entertainer’s 2014 song, “Sexy Beaches.” The contract also paid Pitbull, whose real name is Armando Christian Perez, to make two social media posts a month.

Pitbull reveals $1 million VISIT FLORIDA contract that drew state House lawsuit

The terms of the contract also required Pitbull to take part in a series of VISIT FLORIDA promotional videos and hold a New Year’s Eve concert in Miami.

The contract expired June 30, but efforts by news agencies to see the details of the contract were rebuffed by VISIT FLORIDA and Pitbull’s lawyer.

Seccombe had said he regretted VISIT FLORIDA signed the contract with the trade secret terms.