On Friday, Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) signed legislation that will effectively nullify the development agreements that were previously made with Disney, just before the governor was to choose a new board of supervisors to oversee the media giant's Orlando parks.
DeSantis has been in a year-long battle with Disney following the company's outspoken criticism of the Parental Rights in Education bill passed by the Florida legislature last year. The newly-signed legislation could be the last nail in the coffin for the entertainment giant's fight against DeSantis.
The bill first had to clear the Republican-led legislature, before a vote was cast by a board of members that were responsible for invalidating the deals, claiming that they were made in an unlawful manner, per The Daily Progress. Disney has claimed the methods were done in order to lock in long-term development plans as tensions were rising with the governor and his political allies.
The governor's office confirmed the signing of the bill in a press release that gave no further information or remarks on the legislation.
The feud first began with the company's criticism of The Parental Rights in Education Act which aimed to limit classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender theory in third-grade classes and lower. After the critical response from Disney, DeSantis began to move to dissolve the special tax district that Disney World has had since the 1960s, which allowed it to essentially govern itself.
The area was ultimately left the way it was, but DeSantis moved to change the name of it from the formerly named Reedy Creek Improvement District. To further reign in Disney, a new five-member board was hand-picked by DeSantis to oversee the district.
The board said that the company created its deals in a manner that undercut the power of the appointed board, as the DeSantis administration wasn’t even aware of the deal until a month after it was reached, per CNN. Disney countered this argument claiming that they were crafted publicly and that the contracts in no way worked to undermine the power of the district's operations.
In addition to this hit on the development of Disney, the Florida legislature also passed a measure that would have the state's transportation department inspect the Walt Disney World’s monorail system, per the Orlando Sentinel.
DeSantis has also in the past threatened to build a prison or a competing theme park near the location of Magic Kingdom were Disney World attempt to fight against the measures being put forth by the Florida government. In response to Disney threatening to leave the state, DeSantis said the company could “take a hike.”
Ultimately, Disney is due to be governed the same way every other business is within the state of Florida. They may be the state's largest employer, but that doesn’t mean they can become their own government as well.
DeSantis has been in a year-long battle with Disney following the company's outspoken criticism of the Parental Rights in Education bill passed by the Florida legislature last year. The newly-signed legislation could be the last nail in the coffin for the entertainment giant's fight against DeSantis.
The bill first had to clear the Republican-led legislature, before a vote was cast by a board of members that were responsible for invalidating the deals, claiming that they were made in an unlawful manner, per The Daily Progress. Disney has claimed the methods were done in order to lock in long-term development plans as tensions were rising with the governor and his political allies.
The governor's office confirmed the signing of the bill in a press release that gave no further information or remarks on the legislation.
The feud first began with the company's criticism of The Parental Rights in Education Act which aimed to limit classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender theory in third-grade classes and lower. After the critical response from Disney, DeSantis began to move to dissolve the special tax district that Disney World has had since the 1960s, which allowed it to essentially govern itself.
The area was ultimately left the way it was, but DeSantis moved to change the name of it from the formerly named Reedy Creek Improvement District. To further reign in Disney, a new five-member board was hand-picked by DeSantis to oversee the district.
The board said that the company created its deals in a manner that undercut the power of the appointed board, as the DeSantis administration wasn’t even aware of the deal until a month after it was reached, per CNN. Disney countered this argument claiming that they were crafted publicly and that the contracts in no way worked to undermine the power of the district's operations.
In addition to this hit on the development of Disney, the Florida legislature also passed a measure that would have the state's transportation department inspect the Walt Disney World’s monorail system, per the Orlando Sentinel.
DeSantis has also in the past threatened to build a prison or a competing theme park near the location of Magic Kingdom were Disney World attempt to fight against the measures being put forth by the Florida government. In response to Disney threatening to leave the state, DeSantis said the company could “take a hike.”
Ultimately, Disney is due to be governed the same way every other business is within the state of Florida. They may be the state's largest employer, but that doesn’t mean they can become their own government as well.
- Article Source:
DC Enquirer
- Photo: Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images / Getty Images
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