Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the creation of the "Hulk Hogan Trail," a two-mile dedicated portion of the Clearwater Trail between Oak Avenue and Coronado Drive in Clearwater, at a public dedication event at Hogan's Hangout.
DeSantis said the segment will be marked with red-and-yellow signage and will include exercise stations such as pull-up bars and other equipment to encourage outdoor fitness. "We are officially establishing the Hulk Hogan Trail on a 2 mile portion of the Clearwater Trail between Oak Avenue and Coronado Drive," he said.
The announcement followed remarks by DeSantis about Hulk Hogan's cultural impact and local ties to the Tampa Bay area and Clearwater Beach. DeSantis recalled Hogan's public persona of "train, saying your prayers, eating your vitamins," and said the trail dedication is intended as a lasting tribute tied to that message.
Nick Hogan, Hulk Hogan's son, thanked DeSantis and local officials. "This is something that my dad would be so, so proud of because Clearwater was always home for him," Nick Hogan said, adding that the family is "unbelievably proud" of the dedication.
Jimmy Hart, a longtime wrestling manager who spoke at the event, described Hogan's local connections and praised the decision. "He said, 'I loved the governor, man,'" Hart said, recounting conversations with Hogan and offering his support for the tribute.
DeSantis also noted a prior statewide proclamation: "we were happy to declare, August 1, Hulk Hogan Day in the state of Florida," and said the trail dedication would provide a more lasting local memorial. He described the plan for exercise stations along the route and said the state will "take care of all that." He characterized Hogan's audience reach during his career, saying a rematch broadcast on NBC drew about 37,000,000 viewers.
Organizers did not describe a legislative ordinance or vote associated with the dedication during the recorded remarks. The event concluded with family acknowledgments and photographs.
The announcement is a ceremonial dedication by the governor's office and other participating local entities; no formal council or commission vote was recorded in the provided transcript.