Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis may have prematurely declared victory in his battle with Disney.
Last year, DeSantis made national headlines when he went after the company, the state’s largest employer, in retaliation for its opposition to his “Don’t Say Gay” law, which prevents teachers from talking about LGBTQ+ issues or people. He pushed the state legislature to strip the company of its status as a special tax district, under which it has been able to develop and maintain its theme parks with relative independence. And DeSantis replaced the board members governing that district, who’d previously been controlled by Disney, with conservative figures loyal to him.
But it seems that Disney’s lawyers outwitted him. The new board members overseeing the governance of Disney said in a meeting Wednesday that their predecessors had rendered them essentially powerless in a policy ratified just before they took over.
As part of that agreement, Disney is authorized to build another theme park in its special tax district, known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District, so long as the company follows local laws on building parameters. Also, the five-person board, known as the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, would need the company’s approval to make any significant changes to its property.
The new board’s only purview is to maintain roads and other essential infrastructure. The agreement limiting the board’s powers is effective for perpetuity or — should that be successfully challenged in court — at least “until 21 years after the death of the last survivor of the descendants of King Charles III, King of England living as of the date of this Declaration.”
The board is exploring the possibility of challenging the agreement in court, or at least cutting a new deal with Disney.
“We’re going to have to deal with it and correct it,” board member Brian Aungst Jr. told the Orlando Sentinel. “It’s a subversion of the will of the voters…
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