For the last several months Walt Disney World and its home state of Florida haven’t been getting along too well. The ongoing battle hit a new high last week when the new board overseeing Disney World, appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, discovered that their power had been severely limited by a deal the previous board made with Disney. Now the governor is asking the state’s Chief Inspector General to investigate.
What Governor DeSantis Has Done Following Disney World
In a letter to the Florida Chief Inspector General (posted by Spectrum News' Ashley Carter) Governor DeSantis asks that an investigation be undertaken to see if the deal between the Reedy Creek Improvement District and Walt Disney World might have any legal or ethical conflicts.
JUST IN: Gov. Ron DeSantis is now requesting an investigation into Reedy Creek Improvement District and the agreement made with Disney before the state took it over. pic.twitter.com/LE0cY3WnP3April 3, 2023
DeSantis’ letter claims that the deal may already have legal “infirmities” which is something the state has been arguing since the whole thing dropped last week. The day before the Florida legislature passed the new law which dissolved the existing RCID, the board passed a new declaration that gave Disney direct control over much of the land of Walt Disney World, rather than the board.
The deal gave Disney control over the land, and even invoked English Common Law concepts, tying the length of the deal to the lives of the descendants of King Charles III. It was clearly an end run around the Governor’s law, but that doesn’t mean there was anything illegal or unethical about the agreement.
The simple fact is that the Reedy Creek Improvement District still had control on the day it made the deal, the law removing their power wasn’t a law yet. And one assumes that Disney was careful in making this deal to be sure it would stand up to legal scrutiny. That doesn’t mean there won’t be a legal battle, that certainly appears to be where all this is headed.
Bob Iger Responded During The Disney Shareholders Meeting
During today’s Walt Disney Company Shareholders Meeting, Bob Iger was asked directly about the ongoing battle with the state of Florida. He suggested that the move that started everything, the company’s response to Florida’s law, referred to by many as “Don’t Say Gay,” may not have been handled as well as it could have been, but he believes companies have the right to freedom of speech, and should be free to make statements regarding laws that impact their business and their people.
Iger called the changes to Reedy Creek “anti-business and anti-Florida” saying that Disney World has been good for Florida, and Florida and has been good for Disney. For what it’s worth, this battle won’t apparently impact the company’s future plans in Florida, as Iger said there were plans to invest $17 billion and create 13,00 new jobs at Walt Disney World over the next decade.
