ORLANDO, Fla. — Dissolving the Reedy Creek district could hurt Florida government finances and potentially strengthen The Walt Disney Co.’s balance sheet at taxpayers’ expense if leaders don’t solve a complex set of legal problems, according to industry analysts following the showdown.
Reedy Creek, which governs Walt Disney World, is set to be abolished on June 1, 2023, but questions are mounting about legislation Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a week ago setting that in motion.
Fitch Ratings signaled late Thursday that it might downgrade the bond rating of Florida’s governments if the state doesn’t resolve an issue with the district’s $1 billion in outstanding debt. A downgrade would mean the governments would face higher interest rates to borrow money.
