¶ DeSantis’ Disney Feud
¶ Highlights:
- As governor, Ron DeSantis had a history of doling out favors to the Walt Disney Corporation.
- DeSantis’ budget provided Disney with broadcasting funding for the Special Olympics.
- DeSantis and his administration provided a number of lucrative tax breaks to support the company. Additionally, in January 2021, public records revealed DeSantis was in favor of providing Disney with millions in potential tax breaks.
- DeSantis’ administration worked to create a special carve out to exempt the company from its crackdown on social media companies.
- DeSantis helped Disney during the Covid-19 pandemic, including helping over add 77,000 Disney employees to the state’s unemployment system and appoint Disney officials to his Covid-19 reopening task force.
- After Walt Disney Corporation spoke out against an anti-LGBTQ law signed by Ron DeSantis, the governor retaliated against the company.
- DeSantis’ war against the Walt Disney Corporation was viewed by many to be a retribution from Disney’s “political disloyalty” after Disney had spoken out against DeSantis’ parental rights “Don’t Say Gay” bill. DeSantis signed legislation dissolving Disney’s independent special district, titled Reedy Creek Improvement District. DeSantis then appointed his political cronies to oversee Disney’s new district.
- DeSantis and his crony oversight board alleged Disney stripped the board of its power with last-minute legislation pushed through by the previous board. DeSantis later called for state legislators to push legislation subjecting Disney’s theme park to state inspections. Disney announced they were suing DeSantis alleging the company was a “target campaign of government retaliation.”
- DeSantis’ feud with Disney hurt potential relocation and job-building efforts for the resort after Disney announced pulling out of a $1 billion business complex which would have brought an estimated 2,000 new Florida jobs.
- Disney filed suit against Ron DeSantis alleging that the park was the “target campaign of government retaliation.”
- Disney filed suit against DeSantis, his oversight district, and other state officials.
- Disney alleged the state violated the parks first amendment rights, clauses dealing with contracts, due process, and taking private property without just compensation.
- Ron DeSantis urged Disney CEO Bob Iger to drop the park’s lawsuit.
- DeSantis would tell Iger to accept the end of the park’s “special privileges.”
- DeSantis’ oversight board was expected to pay $6.4 million in legal fees in 2023 due to its ongoing feud with Disney.
- DeSantis’ tourism oversight board restricted Disney’s federal lawsuit to freedom of speech violations.
- Ron DeSantis’ war against Disney’s special interest district could put a $700 million tax burden on taxpayers in the neighboring Disney counties.
- Ron DeSantis’ crony-filled board scrapped Disney’s diversity, equity, and inclusion hiring practices.
- Disney’s minority enterprises had awarded contracts based on racial and gender-driven goals.
- Oversight board district member Glen Gilzean said those contracts threatened contractors who did not keep up with racial or gender quotas.
¶ DeSantis Got Married At Disney
¶ DeSantis Got Married At Disney World
DeSantis Got Married At Disney World. According to Business Insider, “Over the course of his campaign for reelection in Florida, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis frequently boasts about his retaliation against Disney for opposing his Parental Rights in Education Act. But DeSantis hasn't mentioned that, long before Disney became what he derides as a ‘woke corporation,’ its sprawling theme park near Orlando was the venue where he once said his ‘I Do's.’ Dressed in his white, decorated Naval uniform, DeSantis exchanged wedding vows with Casey DeSantis, whose maiden name was Black, at the Grand Floridian's wedding pavilion, a chapel with arched windows overlooking Cinderella's Castle and the Seven Seas Lagoon. The reception was held at Epcot's Italy Isola, in a nod to the couple's Italian heritage.” [Business Insider, 11/4/22]
¶ April 2020 – May 2021: DeSantis Doled Out Special Favors To Disney
¶ DeSantis Worked To Provide Disney Benefits Through Legislation And Tax Breaks
¶ June 2020: DeSantis’ Budget Included Funds To Support Disney-Broadcasted Special Olympics
June 2020: DeSantis’ $92.2 Billion Budget Included $500,000 For Disney-Broadcasted 2022 Special Olympics. According t6o the Orlando Sentinel, “Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the state's $92.2 billion state budget on Monday after cutting $1 billion from programs for affordable housing, education and social services. His vetoes to what had been a $93.2 billion budget came because of the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic and included $550 million in measures that he said he had supported. […] DeSantis also didn't touch state funding for a big event at Walt Disney World next year. The 2022 Special Olympics USA Games, at which most of the events will happen at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex and televised on the Disney-owned ABC and ESPN networks, will still receive $500,000.” [Orlando Sentinel, 6/30/20]
¶ July 2021: DeSantis Gave Disney Lucrative Tax Breaks
July 2021: Disney Was Expected To Get $570 Million In Florida Tax Breaks Over 20 Years For Moving 2,000 California Employees To Florida. According to the Associated Press, “The Walt Disney Co. stands to benefit from more than a half billion dollars in tax breaks for building a new regional campus in Florida that promises to employ at least 2,000 professional employees who will be relocating from Southern California to work in digital technology, finance and product development. The company could claim more than $570 million in tax breaks over 20 years for the project, which would be among the largest in Florida history for a single corporation, according to documents obtained Wednesday through a public records request by the Orlando Sentinel from the state's Department of Economic Opportunity. Disney's capital investment for the project could be as much as $864 million, the documents showed. The company already has a theme park resort in central Florida that is the size of the city of San Francisco. Disney is eligible for the money under the state's Capital Investment Tax Credit program, for which it was approved in February 2020, Christina Pushaw, press secretary for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, told the newspaper.” [Associated Press, 7/22/21]
Proposal From Disney Lobbyist Gave Sales Tax Break For Unsold Inventory That Retailers Donated To Charity. According to Seeking Rents, “(Section 6, HB 7123, 2019): A provision tucked into DeSantis and the Legislature’s 2019 tax package created a new sales tax break for unsold inventory that retailers donate to charities. Records show the proposal came from a lobbyist for Walt Disney World.” [Seeking Rents, 7/21/22]
$5 Million Tax Break Was Only Available For Disney Retailers. According to Seeking Rents, “The company, which regularly gives leftover merchandise to nonprofits, had been lobbying for the break for at least a year. It finally managed to get the measure passed after Hurricane Michael devastated the Panhandle in the fall of 2018. Company lobbyists claimed that this $5 million a year tax break would prevent retailers from being ‘punished’ when they donate things like bottled water and blankets to groups like the Red Cross. Never mind the fact that they already get corporate tax breaks for charitable donations. Or that nobody else making charitable donations can get this new sales tax break — it’s only available to retail companies like Disney.” [Seeking Rents, 7/21/22]
¶ January 2021: DeSantis’ Administration Said They Were Open To Provide Millions In Tax Breaks To Disney
January 2021: Top DeSantis Aides Helped Draft Legislation Including A Tax Break That Would Have Saved Disney Millions. According to Jason Garcia via Seeking Rents, “Over the last couple of years, a proposed tax break has been floating around the Florida Legislature that could save tens of millions of dollars for a prominent corporation: The Walt Disney Co. And it turns out a prominent politician has been involved with that proposed tax break: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. That’s according to emails that turned up in a public-records request, which show that one of DeSantis’ top aides worked on a draft of the potential Disney tax break in January 2021, in the weeks leading up to that year’s legislative session. A top aide to Gov. Ron DeSantis emailed half a dozen drafts of proposed legislation to a state House staffer before the 2021 session, including a Capital Investment Tax Credit tax break that could have saved millions for the Walt Disney Co. Now, these emails which were produced in response to a larger records request made by veteran Capitol reporter Gary Fineout of Politico Florida, don’t provide much detail or context. For instance, they don’t reveal anything about how hard DeSantis’ office pushed for the tax break, which ultimately failed to pass in 2021. And they don’t show whether DeSantis or his staff continued to work on the idea during the 2022 session, when it was filed again, or whether the governor continues to support the concept now. The Governor’s Office declined to answer any questions about its work on the proposal.” [Seeking Rents – Jason Garcia, 1/10/23]
¶ May 2021: The DeSantis Administration Altered Social Media Legislation To Give Disney A Carve Out
May 2021: DeSantis Signed Law That Would Punish Social Media Companies For Content Moderation. According to the Washington Post, “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill Monday that aims to punish social media companies for their moderation decisions, a move that Silicon Valley immediately criticized and likely sets the stage for potential legal challenges.” [Washington Post, 5/24/21]
The Law Included A Carve Out Exempting Companies That Owned Theme Parks In Florida, Namely Disney. According to Insider, “But there's a massive loophole written into the law that exempts companies that own theme parks in the state. ‘Social media,’ as defined by the bill, ‘does not include any information service, system, Internet search engine, or access software provider operated by a company that owns and operates a theme park or entertainment complex.’ In other words, the new law won't apply to Disney, which operates Disney World in Florida, and Comcast, which operates Universal Studios. And other companies like Facebook and Twitter could avoid liability simply by opening — or simply buying — an amusement park in Florida.” [Insider, 5/24/21]
¶ The DeSantis Administration Altered The Legislation After Disney Objected
The DeSantis Administration Altered Their Social Media Law After Requests From Disney. According to Seeking Rents, “The legislation (SB 7072) exposed social-media companies such as Facebook and Twitter to the threat of civil lawsuits and state investigations. But the bill – which DeSantis and lawmakers had been working on for at least three months – was written in such a way that it also exposed the Walt Disney Co. because its Disney+ streaming service met the proposed definition of a ‘social media platform.’ So Disney apparently raised a last-minute objection. And the DeSantis administration leapt into action. Kopelousos is the governor’s legislative affairs director, meaning she serves as the governor’s primary point of contact with the Legislature. But emails show she became Disney’s point of contact, too, as she repeatedly passed along potential exemptions to the bill that were apparently written by Disney lobbyists. [Seeking Rents, 2/1/22]
Disney Wrote Exemptions That DeSantis’ Legislative Affairs Director Shared With Legislature. According to Seeking Rents, “Kopelousos is the governor’s legislative affairs director, meaning she serves as the governor’s primary point of contact with the Legislature. But emails show she became Disney’s point of contact, too, as she repeatedly passed along potential exemptions to the bill that were apparently written by Disney lobbyists. [Seeking Rents, 2/1/22]
¶ DeSantis Helped Disney During The Covid-19 Pandemic
¶ April 2020: After DeSantis Approved The Plan, 77,000 Disney Employees Were Automatically Enrolled In The State’s Unemployment System Amid Covid-19 Furloughs
April 2020: DeSantis Said He Would Consider Adding 77,000 Disney Employees To The State’s Unemployment System Amid Covid-19 Furloughs. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “About 77,000 Walt Disney World employees set to be furloughed next week could get a FastPass to Florida's unemployment system, which has seen hundreds of thousands of other workers face lengthy delays in getting benefits. Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday he's considering a plan to add automatically the information of the Disney workers into the system, in anticipation of the large influx. He added that it wouldn't mean those employees would jump to the front of the line, but by getting their information into the system, they'll skip a key step that has frustrated other laid-off workers who've encountered system crashes and busy helplines. ‘They wouldn't get any special place in line - whoever is applying is going to go through that way,’ DeSantis said. ‘But I think when you know you're going to have a massive amount of people from one employer that's announced, if we can work with them to get that information and get it through the system, I think that would probably be better for everyone.’” [Orlando Sentinel, 4/15/20]
Disney Partnered With The State To Auto-Enroll Cast Members Before They Would Have Been Furloughed. According to WFTV, “As the state's largest single-site employer, Disney partnered with Florida government to auto-enroll cast members before they were furloughed.” [WFTV, 4/28/20]
¶ May 2020: Disney Officials Were On DeSantis’ Covid-19 Reopening Task Force
May 2020: Disney Officials Served On DeSantis’ Covid-19 Reopening Task Force. According to the Jacksonville Business Journal, “With hundreds of thousands of workers filing unemployment claims and businesses shuttered across the state, a task force created by Gov. Ron DeSantis began discussing ways Monday to revive the state's economy from the coronavirus crisis.
Officials from businesses such as Disney World, Universal Orlando, Florida Power & Light, AT&T, Tampa General Hospital, Raymond James Financial Services and Lockheed Martin, along with county mayors from Southeast Florida and state elected Republican leaders, will spend the week as the task force's executive committee to develop plans to reopen the economy.” [Jacksonville Business Journal, 4/21/20]
¶ March 2022 – April 2023: DeSantis Went After Disney, Costing Thousands Of Jobs And Raising Taxes On Floridians, After The Company Spoke Out Against His Anti-LGBTQ Law
¶ March 2022: Disney Came Out Against “Don’t Say Gay” Law
March 2022: Walt Disney Company Came Out Against “Don’t Say Gay” Bill. According to NPR, “The Walt Disney Company has now come out against Florida's Parental Rights In Education bill. The so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill was passed by Florida's House and Senate and is headed to Gov. Ron DeSantis' desk.” [NPR, 3/8/22]
Then-Disney CEO Bob Chapek Said The Company Opposed The Bill “From The Onset,” And Said It Would Reassess “Our Approach To Advocacy – Including Political Giving.” According to NPR, “Chapek explained that Disney leaders were opposed to the bill ‘from the outset, but we chose not to take a public position on it because we thought we could be more effective working behind-the-scenes, engaging directly with lawmakers — on both sides of the aisle.’ Now, Chapek said the company is ‘reassessing our approach to advocacy — including political giving in Florida and beyond.’” [NPR, 3/8/22]
Weeks Later, DeSantis Signed The Bill Into Law. According to the Associated Press, “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law on Monday that forbids instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, a policy that has drawn intense national scrutiny from critics who argue it marginalizes LGBTQ people. The legislation has pushed Florida and DeSantis, an ascending Republican and potential 2024 presidential candidate, to the forefront of the country’s culture wars. LGBTQ advocates, students, Democrats, the entertainment industry and the White House have dubbed the measure the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law.” [Associated Press, 3/28/22]
March 28, 2022: Disney Tweeted Its Opposition To The Law. According to a tweet from Disney,
[Twitter, @WaltDisneyCo, 3/28/22]
March 29, 2022: DeSantis Lashed Out At Disney Over The Tweet, Saying The Company “Crossed The Line.” According to Politico, “Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday lashed out at the Walt Disney Co. and ‘California corporate executives’ after the company said Florida’s ‘Parental Rights in Education bill’ — dubbed ‘Don’t Say Gay’ by opponents — should be repealed. DeSantis, a Republican who signed the bill into law on Monday, was reacting to a tweet from Disney calling on the state Legislature to repeal the law or for the courts to strike it down. ‘I think they crossed the line,’ he said during a press conference at the state Capitol. ‘We’re going to make sure we’re fighting back when people are threatening our parents and threatening our kids.’” [Politico, 3/29/22]
¶ April 2022: DeSantis Worked To Strip Disney Of Its Self-Governing District, Put The State In Charge
¶ April 2022: DeSantis Signed Legislation That Dissolved Independent Special District Including The Repeal Of Reedy Creek Improvement District
April 2022: DeSantis Signed Into Law Legislation That Dissolved Independent Special Districts That Were Established Before The Ratification Of The Florida Constitution Of November 1968, Including Reedy Creek Improvement District Which Effectively Provided Self-Government To Walt Disney World Resort. In April 2022, according to the Florida Senate, DeSantis signed into law Senate Bill 4-C, which “provide[d] for the dissolution of any independent special district established by a special act prior to the ratification of the Florida Constitution on November 5, 1968, which has not been reestablished, re-ratified, or otherwise reconstituted by special act or general law after such date. The bill provide[d] that dissolution of the affected districts will occur on June 1, 2023, but that such special districts may be reestablished pursuant to the requirements and limitations of ch.189, F.S., on or after that date. The bill appears to affect the following six independent special districts: Bradford County Development Authority (Bradford County) Eastpoint Water and Sewer District (Franklin County) Hamilton County Development Authority (Hamilton County) Marion County Law Library (Marion County) Reedy Creek Improvement District (Orange and Osceola Counties) Sunshine Water Control District (Broward County)” [Florida Senate, Accessed on 11/2/22; Florida Senate, S.B. 4-C]
- The Bill Aimed At Terminating Disney World’s Special Government As A Way Of Punishing The Company For “Political Disloyalty.” According to Florida Politics, “Senate and House bills aimed at putting an end to Walt Disney World’s special government have been submitted for the Legislature’s Special Session this week — sending notice that Gov. Ron DeSantis is serious in his ire toward the company’s political disloyalty. With DeSantis announcing the issue would be offered for the Special Session, Republican Sen. Jennifer Bradley and Republican Rep. Randy Fine have introduced bills that would sunset authorizing statutes for the Reedy Creek Improvement District by the summer of 2023.” [Florida Politics, 4/19/22]
- The Reedy Creek Improvement District Provides Utilities To Disney World Resort Property And Provides Municipal Services, Such As Fire And Rescue. According to Florida Politics, “By Florida statute, that district provides utilities and other services to the more than 25,000 acres of southwestern Orange County that make up the Walt Disney World resort property. Reedy Creek also provides many municipal services, including fire and rescue and various municipal functions. But many of those services are provided via contracts with two cities that compose most of Walt Disney World: Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake.” [Florida Politics, 4/19/22]
- The Reedy Creek Improvement District’s Board Of Supervisors Are Selected By Landowners, Thus Disney Corporation Selects The Regulators Of Their Property And Allows For Self-Government. According to Florida Politics, “The RCID operates its own fire protection, security services, utilities and planning. Its Board of Supervisors is selected by landowners, effectively meaning the Disney corporation installs the government regulating the 38.5-square-mile property. The district effectively taxes the land and operates government services with that revenue, allowing self-government.” [Florida Politics, 3/30/22]
- By Eliminating The Reedy Creek Improvement District, Orange And Osceola Counties Were Given Full Authority To Regulate Disney Property. According to Florida Politics, “Should the law creating the RCID be repealed, that would leave the Disney property under the complete authority of Orange and Osceola counties.” [Florida Politics, 3/30/22]
¶ February 2023: DeSantis Signed Disney-Reedy Creek Control Bill Into Law, Appointed Conservative Cronies To Run New District
February 2023: DeSantis Signed Disney-Reedy Creek Control Bill Into Law, Appointed Five To Governing Board Of The Reedy Creek District. According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, “Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law Monday that gives the state control of Disney World’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, stripping the resort of its self-governing powers amid a feud with the governor. ‘Today, the corporate kingdom finally comes to an end,’ said DeSantis at Reedy Creek Fire Station No. 4 on Disney property where he signed the bill. ‘This is what accountability looks like.’ The law, effective immediately, gives the governor the power to appoint all five members of the governing board of the district. Members would face Senate confirmation.” [South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 2/27/23]
¶ February 2023: DeSantis Appointed Political Backers To New Disney Oversight Board
February 2023: DeSantis Appointed Political Backers To New Disney Oversight Board. According to Politico, “Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday appointed members to a new board that oversees much of Disney World’s operations, settling a long-running conflict with the entertainment giant over Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law. DeSantis announced the five appointees, all political donors and loyalists, at a ceremony where he signed legislation that, in large part, creates a board to run the special district that previously granted Disney a wide range of freedom to self-govern. Florida’s GOP-dominated Legislature approved the bill during a special session earlier this month.” [Politico, 2/27/23]
- Politico Reported Appointee Bridget Ziegler Was A “Major Backer” Of DeSantis’ “Don’t Say Gay” Bill, Co-Founder Of Moms For Liberty, And Wife To Former Republican Party Of Florida Chair. According to Politico, “The most prominent name DeSantis appointed Monday to the board of the district, which the new law renames the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, is Bridget Ziegler, a conservative education activist who was a major backer of the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill. She is also a DeSantis-endorsed Sarasota County School Board member and co-founder of ‘Mom’s for Liberty,’ a group that helps train and recruit conservatives to run for school boards. Her husband, Christian, was recently elected chair of the Republican Party of Florida.” [Politico, 2/27/23]
- DeSantis Appointed Martin Garcia, Whose Investment Firm Gave DeSantis’ PAC $50,000. According to Politico, “DeSantis picked Tampa attorney Martin Garcia to serve as the board’s new chairman. Garcia runs the investment firm Pinehill Capital Partners, which gave a DeSantis’ aligned political committee $50,000.” [Politico, 2/27/23]
¶ March 2023: DeSantis’ New Oversight Board Accused Disney Of Stripping Its Power
Disney Pushed Through Last Minute Procedures Which Would Restrict DeSantis’ Oversight Board Members. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “Gov. Ron DeSantis’ handpicked board overseeing Disney World’s government services is gearing up for a potential legal battle over a 30-year development agreement they say effectively renders them powerless to manage the entertainment giant’s future growth in Central Florida. Ahead of an expected state takeover, the Walt Disney Co. quietly pushed through the pact and restrictive covenants that would tie the hands of future board members for decades, according to a legal presentation by the district’s lawyers on Wednesday. The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District’s new Board of Supervisors voted to bring in outside legal firepower to examine the agreement, including a conservative Washington, D.C., law firm that has defended several of DeSantis’ culture war priorities. ‘We’re going to have to deal with it and correct it,’ board member Brian Aungst Jr. said. ‘It’s a subversion of the will of the voters and the Legislature and the governor. It completely circumvents the authority of this board to govern.’” [Orlando Sentinel, 3/29/23]
The Oversight Board To Seek Legal Counsel Following Disney’s Last Minute Procedures. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “Gov. Ron DeSantis’ handpicked board overseeing Disney World’s government services is gearing up for a potential legal battle over a 30-year development agreement they say effectively renders them powerless to manage the entertainment giant’s future growth in Central Florida. Ahead of an expected state takeover, the Walt Disney Co. quietly pushed through the pact and restrictive covenants that would tie the hands of future board members for decades, according to a legal presentation by the district’s lawyers on Wednesday. The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District’s new Board of Supervisors voted to bring in outside legal firepower to examine the agreement, including a conservative Washington, D.C., law firm that has defended several of DeSantis’ culture war priorities. ‘We’re going to have to deal with it and correct it,’ board member Brian Aungst Jr. said. ‘It’s a subversion of the will of the voters and the Legislature and the governor. It completely circumvents the authority of this board to govern.’” [Orlando Sentinel, 3/29/23]
¶ DeSantis Spokesperson Attacked Disney Over The Move
DeSantis Spokesperson Attacked Disney Over The Move, Called It A “Last-Ditch Effort.” According to the Orlando Sentinel, “Taryn Fenske, a DeSantis spokeswoman, called the move “last-ditch efforts” to transfer “rights and authorities” from the district to Disney. ‘An initial review suggests these agreements may have significant legal infirmities that would render the contracts void as a matter of law,’ Fenske said in a prepared statement. ‘We are pleased the new governor-appointed board retained multiple financial and legal firms to conduct audits and investigate Disney’s past behavior.’” [Orlando Sentinel, 3/29/23]
¶ Reedy Creek’s Previous Board Pushed Through A Declaration Which Barred The Oversight Board From Using Disney’s Name Without Corporate Approval
Reedy Creek’s Previous Board Pushed Through Last-Minute Agreement Before DeSantis Replaced The Board. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “The previous board, which was known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District and controlled by Disney, approved the agreement on Feb. 8, the day before the Florida House voted to put the governor in charge. Board members held a public meeting that day but spent little time discussing the document before unanimously approving it in a brief meeting. DeSantis replaced those Disney-allied board members with five Republicans on Feb. 27, who discovered the binding agreement the previous board approved.” [Orlando Sentinel, 3/29/23]
The “Declaration Of Restrictive Covenants” Barred The New Board From Using Disney Name Without Corporate Approval, Including The Use Of “Mickey Mouse.” According to the Orlando Sentinel, “Among other things, a ‘declaration of restrictive covenants’ spells out that the district is barred from using the Disney name without the corporation’s approval or ‘fanciful characters such as Mickey Mouse.’” [Orlando Sentinel, 3/29/23]
Declaration Was Valid Until “21 Years After The Death Of The Last Survivor Of The Descendants Of King Charles III.” According to the Orlando Sentinel, “That declaration is valid 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,’ if it is deemed to violate rules against perpetuity, according to the document.” [Orlando Sentinel, 3/29/23]
¶ Reedy Creek’s Previous Board Pushed Through A Declaration Which Allowed Disney Power And Rights Over Development Projects
Development Allowed Disney To Build Projects At The Highest Density And The Right To Sell Developmental Rights Without Board Approval. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “A development agreement allows Disney to build projects at the highest density and the right to sell or assign those development rights to other district landowners without the board having any say, according to the presentation by the district’s new special legal counsel.” [Orlando Sentinel, 3/29/23]
The Development Barred The Board From Regulating The Height Of Buildings At Disney, Only Allowed By The FAA. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “The development agreement bars the board from regulating the height of buildings, which would be solely under the purview of the Federal Aviation Administration.” [Orlando Sentinel, 3/29/23]
¶ April 2023: DeSantis Called For An Investigation Into Reedy Creek’s Former Actions Which DeSantis Called “Collusion”
DeSantis Called For An Investigation By State Officials Into Reedy Creek’s Former Board Efforts To Undermine His Recently Appointed Board. According to Politico, “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, apparently outflanked by Disney in a tug-of-war over the control over the thousands of acres that’s home to the Magic Kingdom and other theme parks, is now ordering an investigation into how the dynamic shift happened. The Republican governor on Monday requested a ‘thorough review and investigation’ by state officials into an agreement reached earlier this year by the outgoing Walt Disney Co. board aiming to stymie Florida’s efforts to grab greater authority over the entertainment giant’s special land district near Orlando. That deal swung power away from the new leadership board installed by the governor and created just months ago by the Legislature. With state lawmakers uncertain of a legislative fix, the move by DeSantis could be his administration’s best shot at wrestling control back from Disney.” [Politico, 4/3/23]
DeSantis Called Disney’s Former Board’s Actions “Collusive And Self-Dealing.” According to Politico, “‘These collusive and self-dealing arrangements aim to nullify the recently passed legislation, undercut Florida’s legislative process, and defy the will of Floridians,’ DeSantis wrote in a letter to Melinda Miguel, Florida’s chief inspector general. The move by Disney blindsided DeSantis and his allies and undercuts a talking point that DeSantis had used frequently during his reelection campaign and in recent stops across the country.” [Politico, 4/3/23]
¶ DeSantis Asked The State Legislator To Push Bills To Make Disney’s Theme Park Subject To New Inspections, Escalating The Feud
DeSantis Asked The State Legislator To Push Bills Forcing Disney’s Theme Park Subject To New Inspections In An Attempt To Thwart Disney. According to Politico, “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is escalating his ongoing rift with Disney after the entertainment giant appeared to outmaneuver the Republican governor in the long-running fight for control of its central Florida theme parks. DeSantis, a likely presidential contender for 2024, on Monday announced that the GOP-controlled Legislature will attempt to change state law to subject the company theme parks to new inspections of its rides and famed monorail in the final three weeks of its annual session. ‘They are not superior to the laws that are enacted by the people of the state of Florida,’ said DeSantis at an afternoon press conference held near Disney World. ‘That’s not going to work, that’s not going to fly.’” [Politico, 4/17/23]
DeSantis Suggested His Newly-Appointed Board Could Build A State Park, Rival Amusement Park Or New State Prison On Land In And Surrounding Disney. According to Politico, “During Monday’s press conference, DeSantis also suggested a newly-created state board that owns property in and around Disney World may convert that land into a state park, a rival amusement park or even a state prison. He also floated the idea that the board could look at whether to raise its tax rates, a move that would result in more costs for Disney.” [Politico, 4/17/23]
DeSantis Mentioned The Idea That The Board Could Raise Tax Rates Which In-Turn Would Cost Disney. According to Politico, “During Monday’s press conference, DeSantis also suggested a newly-created state board that owns property in and around Disney World may convert that land into a state park, a rival amusement park or even a state prison. He also floated the idea that the board could look at whether to raise its tax rates, a move that would result in more costs for Disney.” [Politico, 4/17/23]
¶ April 2023: Disney Filed Lawsuit Against DeSantis, Alleged The Theme Park Was The “Target Campaign Of Government Retaliation” In Reedy Creek Feud
April 26, 2023: Disney Filed Lawsuit Against DeSantis, Alleged The Theme Park Was The “Target Campaign Of Government Retaliation” In Reedy Creek Feud. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “The Walt Disney Co. is suing Gov. Ron DeSantis and state officials in federal court, accusing them of engaging in a ‘targeted campaign of government retaliation’ in the feud over the Reedy Creek Improvement District. The entertainment giant filed the lawsuit on Wednesday as DeSantis’ hand-picked tourism oversight board declared Disney’s agreements seeking to retain control over development in Central Florida were null and void. ‘A targeted campaign of government retaliation — orchestrated at every step by Gov. DeSantis as punishment for Disney’s protected speech — now threatens Disney’s business operations, jeopardizes its economic future in the region, and violates its constitutional rights,’ the suit filed in Tallahassee reads.” [Orlando Sentinel, 4/26/23]
Disney Lawyers Alleged That Disney Was Punished By The State For Expressing Its Opinion On Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” Bill. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “But in the federal lawsuit, Disney’s lawyers say the agreements were lawfully approved, and DeSantis and his allies are ‘employing the machinery of the state in a coordinated campaign to damage Disney’s ability to do business in Florida’ because it opposed what critics called the ‘don’t say gay’ law. ‘There is no room for disagreement about what happened here: Disney expressed its opinion on state legislation and was then punished by the state for doing so,’ the lawsuit states.” [Orlando Sentinel, 4/26/23]
Disney Alleged The State Violated Disney’s First Amendment Rights And Clauses Dealing With Contracts, Due Process, And Taking Private Property Without Just Compensation. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “It alleges the state violated Disney’s First Amendment rights and clauses dealing with contracts, due process and the taking of private property without just compensation.” [Orlando Sentinel, 4/26/23]
¶ DeSantis’ Feud With Disney Hurt Potential Job Growth In Disney, Which Would Have Brought An Estimated 2,000 Jobs
Disney To Pull Out Of $1 Billion Office Complex Which Would Have Brought More Than 2,000 Jobs To Florida. According to the New York Times, “In March, Disney called Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida ‘anti-business’ for his scorched-earth attempt to tighten oversight of the company’s theme park resort near Orlando. Last month, when Disney sued the governor and his allies for what it called ‘a targeted campaign of government retaliation,’ the company made clear that $17 billion in planned investment in Walt Disney World was on the line. ‘Does the state want us to invest more, employ more people, and pay more taxes, or not?’ Robert A. Iger, Disney’s chief executive, said on an earnings-related conference call with analysts last week. On Thursday, Mr. Iger and Josh D’Amaro, Disney’s theme park and consumer products chairman, showed that they were not bluffing, pulling the plug on an office complex that was scheduled for construction in Orlando at a cost of roughly $1 billion. It would have brought more than 2,000 Disney jobs to the region, with $120,000 as the average salary, according to an estimate from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.” [New York Times, 5/18/23]
Development Project Would Have Relocated 2,000 Employees From Southern California. According to the New York Times, “The project, near Lake Nona Town Center, was supposed to cost $864 million, but recent price estimates have been closer to $1.3 billion. Disney had planned to relocate as many as 2,000 employees from Southern California, including most of a department known as Imagineering, which works with Disney’s movie studios to develop theme park attractions.” [New York Times, 5/18/23]
¶ DeSantis’ Disney Retribution Could Cost Local Governments And Taxpayers In Nearby Areas
Study Found Orange And Osceola County Residents Could Have A Bigger Tax Bill Due To DeSantis’ Feud With Disney. According to WNCN, “A study by Nathan Goldman, a professor of accounting at North Carolina State University’s Poole College of Management, and colleague Christina Lewellen examined the massive tax implications for Florida because of the state’s dispute with Disney over the law that its critics call ‘Don’t Say Gay.’ […] , Goldman said, some of the tax burden would be passed along to people in Orange and Osceola counties, ‘which means the residents of those counties are likely going to have a bigger tax bill.’” [WNCN, 5/26/22]
The Mayor Of Orange County Florida Stated That The Repeal Of Disney’s Reedy Creek District Would Mean “That District Goes Away And They No Longer Pay For Those Public Safety Costs, Then It Has To Fall To The County’s Budgets.” According to the Orlando Sentinel, “That’s a net sum loss for the rest of the taxpayers of Orange County,’ State legislators’ plan to dissolve a special district that has governed Central Florida lands owned by the Walt Disney Co. for over half a century would be ‘catastrophic’ for Orange County’s budget and taxpayers, who’d shoulder the burden of providing public safety and other services for the entertainment giant’s properties, Mayor Jerry Demings said Thursday. He said Disney foots 100% of the bills for its law enforcement services, provided through a contract with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office; Reedy Creek Fire Services, which delivers fire-rescue protection from a station in Lake Buena Vista; and its 911 call center. ‘If that district goes away and they no longer pay for those public safety costs, then it has to fall to the county’s budgets. That’s a net sum loss for the rest of the taxpayers of Orange County,’ Demings said at a press briefing at Full Sail University. where he stumped for a sales tax increase for transportation. ‘It will put an undue burden on the rest of the taxpayers in Orange County to fill that gap.’” [Orlando Sentinel, 4/21/22]
The Mayor Of Orange County State That Repealing Reedy Creek “Will Put An Undue Burden On The Rest Of The Taxpayers In Orange County To Fill That Gap.” According to the Orlando Sentinel, “That’s a net sum loss for the rest of the taxpayers of Orange County,’ State legislators’ plan to dissolve a special district that has governed Central Florida lands owned by the Walt Disney Co. for over half a century would be ‘catastrophic’ for Orange County’s budget and taxpayers, who’d shoulder the burden of providing public safety and other services for the entertainment giant’s properties, Mayor Jerry Demings said Thursday. He said Disney foots 100% of the bills for its law enforcement services, provided through a contract with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office; Reedy Creek Fire Services, which delivers fire-rescue protection from a station in Lake Buena Vista; and its 911 call center. ‘If that district goes away and they no longer pay for those public safety costs, then it has to fall to the county’s budgets. That’s a net sum loss for the rest of the taxpayers of Orange County,’ Demings said at a press briefing at Full Sail University. where he stumped for a sales tax increase for transportation. ‘It will put an undue burden on the rest of the taxpayers in Orange County to fill that gap.’” [Orlando Sentinel, 4/21/22]
The Orange County Tax Collector Tweeted That The Repeal Of Disney’s Reedy Creek District Would Result In Orange County Taking On $163 Million Per Year In Debt Obligations. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “While the bill’s impact is uncertain, lawmakers rejected Wednesday an amendment that would have required the Legislature’s Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to study the impact of dissolving Reedy Creek and the other special improvement districts. On Twitter, Orange County Tax Collector Scott Randolph pointed out in a series of posts that Reedy Creek is an independent taxing district, which means ‘it elects a board to set a millage rate inside its boundary—in this case, all land owned by Disney. So Disney taxes itself to operate its own power plant, maintain roads, fire dept., etc.’ He tweeted that Orange County would take on $163 million per year in debt obligations.” [Orlando Sentinel, 4/21/22]
¶ April 2023 – September 2023: Disney Filed A Lawsuit Against DeSantis Alleging The Theme Park Was The “Target Campaign Of Government Retaliation”
¶ Disney Filed A Lawsuit Against DeSantis, Alleging That The Company Was The “Target Campaign Of Government Retaliation” In Reedy Creek Feud
Disney Filed A Lawsuit Against DeSantis, Alleging That The Company Was The “Target Campaign Of Government Retaliation” In Reedy Creek Feud. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “The Walt Disney Co. is suing Gov. Ron DeSantis and state officials in federal court, accusing them of engaging in a ‘targeted campaign of government retaliation’ in the feud over the Reedy Creek Improvement District. The entertainment giant filed the lawsuit on Wednesday as DeSantis’ hand-picked tourism oversight board declared Disney’s agreements seeking to retain control over development in Central Florida were null and void. ‘A targeted campaign of government retaliation — orchestrated at every step by Gov. DeSantis as punishment for Disney’s protected speech — now threatens Disney’s business operations, jeopardizes its economic future in the region, and violates its constitutional rights,’ the suit filed in Tallahassee reads.” [Orlando Sentinel, 4/26/23]
Disney Lawyers Alleged That Disney Was Punished By The State For Expressing Its Opinion On Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” Bill. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “But in the federal lawsuit, Disney’s lawyers say the agreements were lawfully approved, and DeSantis and his allies are ‘employing the machinery of the state in a coordinated campaign to damage Disney’s ability to do business in Florida’ because it opposed what critics called the ‘don’t say gay’ law. ‘There is no room for disagreement about what happened here: Disney expressed its opinion on state legislation and was then punished by the state for doing so,’ the lawsuit states.” [Orlando Sentinel, 4/26/23]
¶ Disney Filed Suit Against DeSantis, The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District’s Board, And Other State Officials
Disney Filed Suit Against DeSantis, The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District’s Board, And Other State Officials. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “Disney filed the lawsuit against DeSantis, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District’s Board of Supervisors and other state officials. The suit asks the court to block the oversight board’s actions voiding the development agreements and a state law putting DeSantis in charge of the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which oversees government services for Disney World.” [Orlando Sentinel, 4/26/23]
Lawsuit Asked The Court To Block Oversight Board’s Actions Voiding Development Agreements And State Law Which Put DeSantis In Charge Of Reedy Creek’s District. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “The suit asks the court to block the oversight board’s actions voiding the development agreements and a state law putting DeSantis in charge of the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which oversees government services for Disney World.” [Orlando Sentinel, 4/26/23]
¶ Disney Alleged That The State Violated Disney’s First Amendment Rights, Clauses Dealing With Contracts, Due Process, And Taking Private Property Without Just Compensation
Disney Alleged That The State Violated Disney’s First Amendment Rights And Clauses Dealing With Contracts, Due Process, And Taking Private Property Without Just Compensation. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “It alleges the state violated Disney’s First Amendment rights and clauses dealing with contracts, due process and the taking of private property without just compensation.” [Orlando Sentinel, 4/26/23]
¶ DeSantis’ Office Defended Its Position Against Disney’s Lawsuit
DeSantis’ Office Defended Its Position Against Disney’s Lawsuit. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “DeSantis’ office defended its position in a statement. ‘We are unaware of any legal right that a company has to operate its own government or maintain special privileges not held by other businesses in the state,’ said Taryn Fenske, a DeSantis spokeswoman. ‘This lawsuit is yet another unfortunate example of their hope to undermine the will of the Florida voters and operate outside the bounds of the law.’” [Orlando Sentinel, 4/26/23]
¶ Disney Lawyers Added Recent Criticism From DeSantis Towards Disney To Their Lawsuit
Disney Lawyers Added Recent Criticism From DeSantis Towards Disney To Their Lawsuit. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “Citing the governor’s own words, Disney expanded its federal lawsuit against Ron DeSantis on Monday, targeting two bills passed last week by the Florida Legislature. Legislation dealing with Disney World’s monorail and development agreements is further evidence of a ‘targeted campaign of government retaliation’ by DeSantis and his allies, Disney’s lawyers wrote in the amended suit. Disney’s lawyers quote DeSantis’ comments on Friday to support their accusations that DeSantis is punishing the corporation over its opposition to the Parental Rights in Education Law, which critics call ‘don’t say gay.’ ‘Without hesitation or prompt, Gov. DeSantis admitted: ‘[T]his all started, of course, with our parents’ rights bill,’ the amended lawsuit quotes DeSantis saying in response to a reporter’s question.” [Orlando Sentinel, 5/8/23]
Disney Referenced An Interview From DeSantis Where He Touted His Success Against Disney. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “Disney’s lawyers also reference an interview DeSantis did that day in which he touted his perceived success. ‘Since our skirmish last year, Disney has not been involved in any of those issues. They have not made a peep. That, ultimately, is the most important, that Disney is not allowed to pervert the system to the detriment of Floridians,’ the lawsuit quotes DeSantis as saying.” [Orlando Sentinel, 5/8/23]
The Amended Lawsuit Asked The Court To Invalidate Bill DeSantis Signed, Which Would Void Disney’s Development Agreements With Previous The District. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “The amended suit asks the courts to invalidate a bill DeSantis signed Friday that seeks to void Disney’s development agreements with the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the special district that oversees Disney World’s government services.” [Orlando Sentinel, 5/8/23]
¶ August 2023: DeSantis Urged Disney CEO Bob Iger To Drop His Disney Lawsuit
DeSantis Urged Disney To Drop His Disney Lawsuit, Telling The CEO To Accept The End Of “Special Privileges.” According to CNBC, “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday said that Disney CEO Bob Iger should drop his company’s lawsuit accusing the Republican governor of political retaliation. ‘They’re suing the state of Florida. They’re going to lose that lawsuit,’ DeSantis said in an interview with CNBC’s ‘Last Call’ set to air in full at 7 p.m. ET. ‘So what I would say is, drop the lawsuit,’ the governor said when asked what he would tell Iger if he were to give him a call today. ‘This is a great place to do business,’ DeSantis said, citing Florida’s status as the top state economy in CNBC’s latest national survey. The Sunshine State scored eighth overall in CNBC’s ranking of America’s Top States for Business in 2023. ‘Your competitors all do very well here, Universal, SeaWorld. They have not had the same special privileges as you have,’ DeSantis said he’d tell Iger. ‘So all we want to do is treat everybody the same, and let’s move forward. I’m totally fine with that. But I’m not fine with giving extraordinary privileges, you know, to one special company at the exclusion of everybody else,’ he said.” [CNBC, 8/14/23]
¶ DeSantis’ Disney Oversight Board Expected To Pay $6.4 Million In Legal Fees In 2023 Over Feud With Disney
DeSantis’ Disney Oversight Board Expected To Pay $6.4 Million In Legal Fees Over 2023 Over Feud With Disney. According to Politico, “The state board that controls the land housing Walt Disney World expects to more than triple what it spends in legal fees next year following a high-profile battle between the entertainment giant and Gov. Ron DeSantis. New figures released Wednesday find the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District anticipates it’ll spend $4.5 million in legal fees in 2024, after already incurring $1.9 million in costs this year. The figures were presented as part of the district’s larger budget proposal led by Glen Gilzean, the district administrator. The costs come as a result of dueling lawsuits between Walt Disney World and the board, whose members were hand-picked by DeSantis. The governor put new leaders in charge after the Walt Disney Co. publicly opposed a bill he signed into law limiting when and how educators can teach LGBTQ topics in public schools.” [Politico, 8/23/23]
¶ DeSantis’ Disney Tourism Board Restricted Disney’s Federal Lawsuit To Freedom Of Speech Violations
DeSantis’ Disney Tourism Board Restricted Disney’s Federal Lawsuit To Freedom Of Speech Violations. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “Gov. Ron DeSantis’ tourism oversight district agreed Thursday to narrow Disney’s federal lawsuit to just the issue of free speech. Disney wants to focus on what its lawyers call ‘a retaliatory weaponization of government in violation of Disney’s First Amendment rights,’ leaving other matters dealing with development agreements and contracts to be resolved in state court. On Sept. 1, federal Judge Allen Winsor rejected Disney’s motion to narrow the lawsuit because of a procedural rule requiring it to confer with the state’s lawyers. In a statement Thursday, officials with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District said they accepted Disney’s proposal. ‘Disney’s latest legal move puts them in line with the position of what the district has been advocating for months now: that these matters should be decided in state court,’ said Alexei Woltornist, a spokesman for the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. ‘We hope this helps expedite justice for the people of Florida.’” [Orlando Sentinel, 9/7/23]
¶ August 2023: DeSantis’ Crony-Filled Board Scrapped Disney’s Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Hiring Practices
¶ DeSantis’ Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Scrapped Disney’s DEI Hiring Practices
DeSantis’ Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Scrapped Disney’s DEI Hiring Practices, Saying The Practices Discriminated Against Americans And Cost “Taxpayers Millions Of Dollars.” According to the Orlando Sentinel, “The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday it is eliminating all minority-based hiring and contracting under its authority at Disney World. In a news release sent from the district, District Administrator Glen Gilzean also said Reedy Creek’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs discriminated against Americans based on race and gender and cost ‘taxpayers millions of dollars.’ The district’s DEI committee and any related job duties will be abolished, and staff won’t be allowed to pursue DEI initiatives. ‘Our district will no longer participate in any attempt to divide us by race or advance the notion that we are not created equal,’ said Gilzean, who was head of the Central Florida Urban League when DeSantis appointed him to the $400,000 a year position earlier this year.” [Orlando Sentinel, 8/1/23]
¶ Reedy Creek Minority Enterprises Had Awarded Contracts Based On Racially And Gender-Driven Goals
The Reedy Creek Minority/Women Business Enterprise And Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Awarded Contracts Based On Racially And Gender-Driven Goals. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “The Reedy Creek Minority/ Women Business Enterprise and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise programs led to contracts awarded based on racially and gender-driven goals, using quotas to ensure those goals were met, Gilzean said. Gilzean said previous contracts threatened contractors who did not keep up with racial or gender quotas with nonpayment and disqualification from future bidding.” [Orlando Sentinel, 8/1/23]
Oversight District Member Glen Gilzean Said Those Contracts Threatened Contractors Who Did Not Keep Up With Racial Or Gender Quotas. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “The Reedy Creek Minority/ Women Business Enterprise and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise programs led to contracts awarded based on racially and gender-driven goals, using quotas to ensure those goals were met, Gilzean said. Gilzean said previous contracts threatened contractors who did not keep up with racial or gender quotas with nonpayment and disqualification from future bidding.” [Orlando Sentinel, 8/1/23]