EATONVILLE, Fla. — A community group in Eatonville is gearing up to make a funding pitch for $87 million in tourism tax dollars to try and connect the past to the future.

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Eatonville made history as the first incorporated Black community in the country.

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The group wants to transform some abandoned property into a large project named after its most famous resident: Zora Neale Hurston. It would include a STEM lab, conference center and museum. But whether this is hitting an opportunity right on the mark or missing it is what’s up for debate in the community.

Some community members support the associations’ vision, while others feel a different request would have given the town a better chance at getting the money and a bigger impact for its people.

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