TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday outlined the next moves in his political war with Walt Disney World, vowing to nullify an agreement that would allow the Orlando amusement park to circumvent a DeSantis-appointed board, and considering developing land next to the park — which the governor says could include building a state prison next to one of Florida’s biggest tourism attractions.
The announcement is a continuation of a feud that has animated much of the state’s politics since March 2022, when former Disney CEO Bob Chapek issued a statement opposing DeSantis-championed legislation that aimed to ban the teaching of gender identity and sexual orientation in classrooms up to third grade. The bill was commonly branded “Don’t Say Gay” by opponents and framed as an effort in parental empowerment by supporters. Though that legislation sparked the feud, DeSantis did not mention it at Monday’s event.
DeSantis used an Orlando-area press conference on Monday to announce the wide-ranging actions against Walt Disney World that are expected in the coming weeks.
One of the biggest is legislation that would invalidate a development agreement that allowed the company to maintain a wide range of control over the park and its property even as DeSantis was pushing legislation to take over a board that oversees Disney’s special governing district. There is also separate legislation coming that would allow the state to do ride inspections at major theme parks, which are currently exempted from such inspections. DeSantis also said the special governing district board, which he stocked with political supporters in February, would take a series of steps, including potentially developing land next to the park.
“People have said maybe create a state park, try to do more amusement parks, someone said another state prison, who knows?” DeSantis said. “The possibilities are endless”
A Walt Disney World spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.
The two-term governor and likely 2024 presidential candidate’s latest move is in response to legal slight-of-hand attempted by Disney’s attorneys.
The former board of directors for Disney’s long-held special governing district in February passed a development agreement that would give Walt Disney World direct authority to continue to plan and develop within the district, which has a footprint in two counties in the Orlando area. The board of the district, previously known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District, did so as DeSantis and his Republican allies were prepared to approve legislation that would re-name the district the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District and create a new five person board appointed by DeSantis.
DeSantis says the development agreement has legal “infirmities” and the new board will likely invalidate it at its next meeting on Wednesday, a move that will almost certainly land in court. And he will also ask the Legislature to pass a bill to invalidate the agreement. DeSantis at the Monday event said there are “issues with self-dealing” that could allow for the nullification of the development agreement but did not offer specifics.
The previous board’s passage of the development agreement was largely seen by observers as Disney’s legal team getting the best of DeSantis administration in an effort to maintain control of the district — egg on the governor’s face that prompted him to vow revenge.
“They are not superior to the people of Florida. So come hell or high water we are going to make sure that the policy of Florida carries the day,” DeSantis said earlier this month as his administration was writing the punitive measures against Walt Disney World. “And so they can keep trying to do things. But ultimately we’re going to win on every single issue involving Disney, I can tell you that.”
The perception that DeSantis was duped by Disney has delighted former President Donald Trump, who has been hammering DeSantis for months now as the two appear on a collision course for the 2024 Republican nomination for president. On Saturday, Trump used his Truth Social account to hit DeSantis on the Disney issue as well as for attending out-of-state political events in early presidential primary states while Broward County was hit with massive rains and flooding. DeSantis has yet to visit the area.
“First Ron DeSanctimonious got outplayed, outsmarted, and embarrassed by Mickey Mouse and Disney, and now, while Fort Lauderdale is facing the worst flooding in 100 years, DeSanctus is on tour with his ‘shadow’ campaign for president, instead of taking care of the people of Florida.”
The saga has been a political turn of fortune for Walt Disney World, which went from being one of the state’s most powerful political players that helped fund Republican majorities to one vilified by many of those same Republicans.
Closing out the Orlando-area press conference, Florida Republican state Sen. Blaise Ingoglia quoted from the Disney movie “Frozen” when sending a warning to the company about any pushback.
“Let it go, let it go,” he said.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
