LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis vowed Monday that the Florida Legislature will soon reassert control over Disney World’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, promising to void development agreements and even floating the idea of building a state prison near the world-famous attraction.
Legislation also will be filed to take away Disney’s self-inspection of rides and monorails and allow the state to examine a ride if someone is seriously injured on it, DeSantis said at a news conference at Reedy Creek’s administrative building.
He then mused about potentially selling off the district’s utilities and developing district land that Disney doesn’t own.
“People are like, ‘Well, ... what should we do with this land?” said a smiling DeSantis. “... Maybe create a state park, maybe try to do more amusement parks? Someone even said, ‘Maybe you need another state prison?’ Who knows? I just think that the possibilities are endless.”
DeSantis’ hand-picked oversight board, which will meet on Wednesday, will also consider revoking the development agreement and other measures, he said, citing what he called a “plethora of legal infirmities.”
The governor said lawmakers could move on the bills as soon as next week.
Asked whether the state would take away the ride inspection exemption granted to all major theme parks in the state, including Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and Legoland, DeSantis suggested only Disney would be affected
“I think it’s going to be this legislative question,” DeSantis said. “But I think what the Legislature is going to do is apply that to special districts.”
State Rep. Carolina Amesty, R-Windermere, who also spoke at the event, was clear about why the state was taking these actions against Disney.
“Let it be known across this great nation that here in the free state of Florida, it is ‘We the People,’ not woke corporations,” said Amesty, who represents the Disney World area. She claimed Disney was controlled by “extremists” who “pushed far-left narratives and lies about our great state.”
In response to questions, Disney in an unsigned statement said the corporation has been an industry leader in safety. In a previous unsigned statement, the company said all deals were “appropriate” and done in open meetings in accordance with Florida law.
Orange County Democrats blasted DeSantis’ stance on Disney.
“I am concerned that the punitive actions of the governor will have unintended consequences on Florida’s vibrant tourism industry, which will in turn have a negative impact on the state’s economy, overall,” said state Rep. Rita Harris, D-Orlando.
The feud started last year when Disney opposed the Parental Rights in Education law, which critics called “don’t say gay.” That legislation limits classroom instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation in public schools.
DeSantis, widely seen as a potential GOP contender for president in 2024, blasted Disney as being a “woke” corporation. Disney announced it would halt its political giving in Florida.
Earlier this year, Florida lawmakers approved a state takeover of Reedy Creek, which Disney used to effectively self-govern its theme parks and resorts in Florida.
Lawmakers voted to put the governor in charge of appointing the district’s five board members and change its name to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. In late February, DeSantis announced he was appointing five Republican allies to replace the Disney-friendly board.
In the past, the district’s landowners elected the board members, allowing Disney to effectively control the district.
When the new board members took over in March, they discovered the previous board had approved a development agreement and “declaration of restrictive covenants” that they said limited their authority.
DeSantis said Disney did not comply with all the legal notice requirements for development agreements. Disney approved the agreements in public hearings that were advertised in the Orlando Sentinel.
But state law also requires that affected property owners be notified of the public hearing by mail. A Reedy Creek spokesman did not respond to an inquiry into whether the district sent that notice by mail.
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 a presentation by the district’s new special legal counsel.
The restrictive covenants require Disney to review aesthetic changes to Reedy Creek’s buildings, among other things.
State Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, said he wanted Disney to come away from Monday’s news conference with one core message.
“You are not going to win this fight,” he said. “This governor will. One word of advice to the Disney Corp. going forward — just let it go.”
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