Ron DeSantis, Governor of Florida, the Walt Disney Co. given his 55-year control over a special district that includes his Florida theme parks.
The move — a punishment after the company opposed DeSantis’ parental rights laws last year — means he will nominate the members of the Reedy Creek Improvement District’s five-member board.
At a signing ceremony at a fire station on Disney property, DeSantis said of the company, “When you’re lost, you need people to tell you the truth.”
DeSantis also announced his nominees for the board, which are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate. These include attorney Brian Aungst; Attorney Martin Garcia, elected Chairman; Ron Peri, CEO of Ministry of The Gathering USA; Attorney Michael Sasso; and Bridget Ziegler, Sarasota County School Board member and supporter of Moms for Liberty.
The board members will oversee the special district’s infrastructure and services as well as the IRS, but DeSantis also cited Disney’s key decisions. “I think all of these board members are very excited to see the kind of entertainment that all families appreciate.”
Some opponents of the law have warned that it could be used to penalize the company for decisions it doesn’t like. One representative, Rep. Rita Harris, a Democrat, cited the company’s recent decision to turn Splash Mountain into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, as the latter is seen as the company’s push for greater diversity and inclusion. “What if the governor didn’t like it?” Harris said. “Can the board urge the company to change its business model?”
DeSantis endorsed the move to wrest control of the special district from Disney after the company opposed the parental rights law, dubbed the “don’t say gay” law, but he and other supporters of the law say it is also the special treatment to quit. a business The act renames the Reedy Creek District as the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.
“Now Disney is treated the way Sea World is treated, and that’s really fair,” he said.
DeSantis’ move drew criticism from fellow Republicans. Last week, former Vice President Mike Pence told CNBC: “Disney went into battle. They lost. But the idea of going against their tax agency was beyond the scope of what I would be willing to do as a conservative Republican with limited government.
Pence, like DeSantis, could be a contender for next year’s GOP presidential nomination. At the signing ceremony, DeSantis noted that his book will be released on Tuesday.
The special area was approved by the Florida legislature in 1967 when Disney began ambitious plans for a “Florida Project”. Walt Disney’s original vision was to build a futuristic city, the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, and the special district gave the company autonomy over the development of its massive companies there. The city was never built and Disney instead developed theme parks, hotels and resorts on land, creating one of the most visited tourist destinations in the country. But over the years there has been criticism of Reedy Creek County and why an IRS public entity was under private control.
Shortly after Disney, then led by CEO Bob Chapek, criticized the Parental Rights Act, DeSantis pushed for legislation that would dissolve the country. The legislature did just that, but county officials feared the legislation would burden them with the county’s debt, estimated at more than $1 billion. This led to the new legislation, which retains the district but is under state control. The legislation also includes provisions for the district to continue paying its debt obligations.
When the latest legislation was approved by the Florida Legislature earlier this month, Walt Disney World Resort President Jeff Vahle said in a statement: “We are focused on the future and are ready to work within this new framework, and we will.” innovate, inspire and delight the millions of guests who come to Florida each year to visit Walt Disney World.”
Source: Deadline
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
