The new Board of Supervisors for Disney’s Reedy Creek Impdesarovement District (now called the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District) is not wasting any time.
via Twitter
The new Board of the modified District has been appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and has already discussed potential changes that could come to the District. Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro, previously noted “If that new board understands the value that gets created here and how it positively impacts the Central Florida community, I think they will be aligned with our vision and will carry on the Reedy Creek soul that’s been in place.” But it seems the new Board may be more focused on fighting Disney and some key agreements made recently.
The new Board of Supervisors in control of the District met for the second time on March 29th, 2023 with several items set aside to be discussed, according to their agenda. One of those (agenda item 8.2) is the desire to obtain special counsel services for the District.
What do they need special legal services for? Well, it seems the Board may be interested in going after some of the old agreements made by the old Board of Supervisors that impact Disney.
©Governor Ron DeSantis Website
The agenda specifically discusses two legal firms that could be used to represent the District regarding “potential legal challenges for matters involving the District that occurred under the prior board of supervisors and that may involve the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S., Inc. and its affiliates and subsidiary and related entities.”
©Central Florida Tourism Oversight District
Bob Hazen, a reporter at WESH 2 News posted regular updates about the new Board’s meeting via Twitter. It looks like the new Board is really focused on potential legal challenges to the old Board’s agreements with Disney that reportedly give Disney “wide reign over RCID land for the next 30 years.”
New Reedy Creek board members, appointed by Gov DeSantis, meeting now. Looks like they are looking at legal challenges to old board’s agreements with #Disney that give it wide reign over RCID land for next 30 years #WESH pic.twitter.com/Z6c8pAa31Y
— Bob Hazen WESH (@HazenWESH) March 29, 2023
They may want lawyers to challenge agreements Reedy Creek's old board approved right before the DeSantis team took over. Things like the Developer Agreement that set in stone #Disney's rights over RCID property for the next 30 years, regardless of what a new board says #WESH pic.twitter.com/lKjAzZwutu
— Bob Hazen WESH (@HazenWESH) March 29, 2023
“The 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 the presentation by the district’s new special legal counsel.”
Reedy Creek
Here are some of the other things the agreement does:
- Bars the District from “using the Disney name without the corporation’s approval or ‘fanciful characters such as Mickey Mouse”
- “Bars the board from regulating the height of buildings, which would be solely under the purview of the Federal Aviation Administration”
It is set to be valid until “21 years after the death of the last survivor of the descendants of King Charles III, king of England.”
Disney World
A “Declaration of Restrictive Covenants” the previous Board signed with Disney also gives Disney a lot of authority over its own buildings. That agreement says “Disney must review any exterior changes to the district’s buildings to ensure consistent ‘theming’ with Disney World.”
EPCOT
According to Hazen, the new District Board’s legal counsel said that they recently found out about these agreements even though Hazen points out that the agreements were “approved in public meetings over the past several months.” The legal counsel to the new Board has called these agreements “unusual” and “suspect.” The new Board’s special counsel has also called the agreements “unlawful.”
Reportedly, John Classe, the administrator who was in the same position when the old Board was in control, was present at the meeting but was not asked about the agreements. In a later Tweet, Hazen indicated that the new Board is moving to eventually replace Classe.
Reedy Creek’s administrator John Classe, who was in the same job when the Disney appointed members were in control, is here but hasn’t been asked about the agreements yet #WESH pic.twitter.com/C89IXK3ncO
— Bob Hazen WESH (@HazenWESH) March 29, 2023
©Spectrum News 13
The new chairman of the Board — Martin Garcia — reportedly discussed “how rich and powerful Disney is” and shared that the District may have to adopt an “adversarial position” against Disney.
Garcia also suggested that they might need to go all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court in “protracted litigation” against Disney. He also said, “What it looks like to me [is that] because Disney has the Magic Kingdom, they thought they could be king for a day.”
Disney World
In one Tweet, Hazen indicated that the District would be hiring outside law firms to “wage the fight” against Disney. In another, he said, “Reedy Creek, which used to be controlled by #Disney, now appears to be going to war with it.”
The Orlando Sentinel notes that the new Board voted to bring in 4 outside law firms to review some of these matters. One of those firms is Cooper & Kirk, which has “gotten more than $2.8 million in legal fees and contracts from the DeSantis administration” to defend matters like a ban on COVID-19 vaccine passports on cruise ships and other things. Among the firm’s lawyers is an individual who roomed with DeSantis when training at the Naval Justice School in 2005.
District is hiring outside law firms to wage the fight against #Disney
— Bob Hazen WESH (@HazenWESH) March 29, 2023
The Sentinal also quotes board member Brian Aungst Jr. as saying, “We’re going to have to deal with it and correct it…It’s a subversion of the will of the voters and the Legislature and the governor. It completely circumvents the authority of this board to govern.”
Aungst also reportedly said he’s hopeful Disney will work with the Board to change these agreements.
Reedy Creek Fire Department ©Reedy Creek
UPDATE: Disney has since issued a statement indicating that all of the agreements between Disney and the District were appropriate and discussed in open, noticed public forums.
Statement from #Disney:
“All agreements signed between Disney and the District were appropriate, and were discussed and approved in open, noticed public forums in compliance with Florida's Government in the Sunshine law.” #WESH— Bob Hazen WESH (@HazenWESH) March 29, 2023
So it seems Disney could be facing a big battle against its new Board soon. We’ll keep an eye out for more updates and let you know what we find.
Click here to learn all about the “Politically Connected Republican Allies” DeSantis appointed to the District Board
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The state of Florida and the new board will fail in their lawsuit. The development agreement that Walt Disney World signed with the old Reedy Creek board is valid because it was properly noticed. The only folks that can challenge a development agreement are adversely affected residents of the property. The only folks living on Disney property are Disney employees so they obviously will not sue. The new board does not have standing to sue and if the state tries to sue, they will run into the 1st Amendment issue because it was obvious that the takeover was done to control Disney content. Disney played this masterfully. I am a former Florida legislator and an ex republican disgusted with the party became, but most important, I am a huge Disney fan and I teach a Law school class on state and local government law where we go over the original Reedy Creek law passed in 1967. The Governor should have never messed with Disney.
Looks like Disney gave a poke in the eye to Governor DeSantis and his “Board members”. 🙂
And the taxpayers of Florida will be footing the gazillion dollar an hour fees Mr D’s buddies will be charging, how do you spell government excesses.
What a waste of time and money. And for what – a political figure got his feelings hurt? Last I heard, whether you’re a person or a corporation (because it has been said that corporations are people), it’s still okay (and legal) to disagree with politicians.
Florida would not be what it is today without Disney. The governor is trying to infringe his beliefs (trans, banned books, ‘woke’, etc) onto the public specifically for political purposes and no other reason. His agenda is obvious to the rest of the country. Remember Florida – DeSantis won’t always be governor, but Disney will always be Disney.
This is hilarious! Disney basically said “up yours” to DeSantis and I applaud them for a well played response to the nonsense. Even if the new board fights it in court, it will be tied up for a long time. Hopefully by that time more reasonable people will be in charge!!
‘Subverted the will of the voters??’ What nonsense. The voters of Florida were not consulted and are unlikely to support the Florida Governor in taking on Disney.
Good on the Disney lawyers!
This made my day. The world is laughing at DeSantis again.
Thank you Disney for the best birthday present – passing the gutting of the CFTOD on Feb 8. I wonder what it’s like to have a governor that isn’t polarizing?
I am loving this! Take away Disney’s board? Disney will take away your board’s power. Disney can now do exactly what they were already doing (except maybe the roads and infrastructure – which means we will lose the pretty Disney highway signs)! If these lawsuits fail (I pray they will) it’s such a huge “screw you” to DeSantis that you know he’ll be back with something else.
Desantis is out to destroy Disney world and he is a thug and has way over stepped his powers he doesn’t want any one to have the power to their voice he is a disgrace and Floridians u better wake up and get him out of power and dont need him n Washington to do more corruption already had the one that wants back n so leave Disney alone his a grudge holder Walt Disney created this wondeful dream for all of us and it started with a mouse so desantis gets your hands off the mouse house !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wana-Be Dictator DeSantis should concentrate on the safety of children and not what Disney says in defiance. Imagine in what condition Florida would be in today if Disney World never existed. Citizens of Florida, please think about that
Thank you for the outstanding response and great information Juan-Carlos Planas!
The governor needs to realize he was outmaneuvered and never should have picked this fight to start with. I hope this indicates that there is justice and miserable people get the outcomes that they deserve. Certainly too much state money has been spent related to this topic and the taxpayers certainly don’t deserve to have the governor’s office spend a fortune in legal fees.
This is legal excellence on the part of Disney. While DeSantis was pounding his chest, the Disney team was quietly moving the chess pieces for the last move.
Long live the king (and his descendants!)
Pixie-Dust Prevails!
DeSantis isn’t half the man/mouse that Mickey is.
Awesome for Disney!!! The House of Mouse will prevail. Maybe Floridians will wake up and see what a blunder they have in DeSantis but who knows. Hopefully Americans are taking notice. I’d vote for Iger any day before I would vote for ole Ron.
Good for Disney. Now Florida will waste millions more in atty fees fighting a battle that means nothing except to those who thought government should control the free speech of corporations.
LOL! Love it! Disney played DeSantis & his sycophantic board like a fiddle.
Disney can get the best lawyers and advisors that money can buy.
DeSantis et.al. can only get the best lawyers that are willing to work for government wages.
And why are supposedly conservative Republicans suddenly so willing to ‘nationalize’ businesses? Haven’t they always been “Whatever the market will bear”? And “Regulations kill businesses”?
(yeah, I know that ‘nationalize’ isn’t really the right word, but it’s the same principle)
The royal clause is NOT good standing for Disney, they have NO grounds there. Any contract can have a lawsuit, that’s what attys. are for. A former legislator should know that. Disney should NEVER have messed with us Floridians in trying to control our lives outside of their parks. The GOV. did what he was elected to do. REPRESENT us, not Disney. Mr. Disney stood for morals, values and FAMILY and he would never let any of this happen on his watch.
It seems telling that one side is so willing to toss out such a good deal for both sides, that has a fifty year track record of success, just so someone can brag “I won.” He should hold on to that. That may be the last time he gets to say that, concerning something this big. It’s not playing well outside of “his kingdom.”
How is this a ” subversion of the will of the voters”.
No voter ever voted for this new “district”.
DeSantis is supposed to be a Lawyer; you’d think Little Mussolini and his Minions would have done their due diligence before their hostile takeover of Reedy Creek. But it seems he was too high on his soapbox and drunk with power to notice the apparent loophole. I believe Disney and its Lawyers planned this all along because they didn’t fight the dissolution.
This seems to relieve Disney from all infrastructure costs and save them millions every year while putting the burden and cost on the taxpayers while Disney still maintains control of the district. I guess the “New Sheriff in Town” s more like Deputy Barney Fife, as a Mouse outsmarted and outmaneuvered him.
This is hilarious, go Disney!
👍
It is set to be valid until “21 years after the death of the last survivor of the descendants of King Charles III, king of England.”
Seems to be on shaky ground to pass a covenent based on the King of England. Think there were 2 wars over this issue
Juan-Carlos, you have made my day. I have followed the RCID saga mainly here on the DFB, and the burning questions I have had are “Surely, Disney has options in the face of this hostile takeover attempt?” and “What can Disney supporters do to help?” It’s great to know from such an expert source that the ability for the least effective institutions that could be involved (government) should ultimately not have the reign they believe they will over one of the most effective business institutions ever created. I too am an ex and share your disgust. It’s like being in the worst political Twilight Zone episode ever.
I think it’s hilarious that Ron Peri says” This board loses, for practical purposes, the majority of its ability to do anything beyond maintaining the roads and maintaining basic infrastructure.” we’ll what else was he hoping he would be able to control? Was he thinking the board would have control over parks, resorts, etc. really?! I hope Disney wins this battle against this ridiculous board.
Great comment, Mr Planas. We agree. They’re hiring 4 law firms to fight this. I feel sorry for the taxpayers. I think Disney played the governor and his people perfectly. Yay Disney. Boo Desantis.
Um, from the text of the legislation, this DeSantis appointed board is “Advisory”. They don’t really have much in the way of authority. That said, even if they did…Disney’s lawyers will win. This isn’t about the “will of the voters”. It’s about DeSantis and his toadies. It’s not like this went to a popular vote, it was strictly kept in legislative sessions.
Disney has deep pockets. Do Florida taxpayers really want to keep paying millions of THEIR tax dollars for legal fees to carry on this vendetta against Disney? This was so clearly punitive action against a company exercising it’s right to free speech. Funny how politicians are only too happy to take corporate donations – but then expect those same corporations to not express any opinion that may be counter to the politicians belief.
And as predicted, the “Parental Rights in Education Act” is NOT going to stay restricted to “kindergarten through third grade”. It will expand to all grades and force any kid who doesn’t conform to the heterosexual “norm” right back into the closet. Disney was right to protest legislation that allows conservative Christians to decree what entire student bodies and school districts can and cannot learn and read.
What a backwards state Florida is becoming – along with all the other red states in the USA. Always grateful I live in Canada.
Couldn’t help but snort earlier when I heard the line about “subverting the will of the voters” on the news. We didn’t vote for this, Ron, you just decided to pick a culture war battle with Disney because they didn’t want to be attached to your political agenda! Don’t act like this is some noble fight for the people. So slimy.
I am so confused. Does the state believe that by dissolving the Reedy Creek agreement they are now the owners of Walt Disney World and all their properties? Do they plan to tell Floridians what color curtains they can have in their homes because they collect property taxes? It makes no sense to me at all. I am obviously misunderstanding what I’m reading
This is what happens when optics prevail instead of substance.
The governor of Florida is a jerk I have family there as they don’t like him and DISNEY IS NOT TRYING TO CONTROL PEOPLES LiVES N FLORIDA and SOMEONE DOES NOT LIKE DISNEY that is their LOSS there r MILLIONS and MILLIONS is US that long live the MOUSE he RULES
Last time I checked, Disney was a business…if Gov. DeSantis and his minions want to be in control of the roads and infrastructure, so be it. It is offensive that he thinks he can come in and own Disney. He is not the King of Florida. I am so very glad I sold our vacation home in Florida. With all the changes Gov. Desantis is making Florida is no longer a place that I would want to live.
We just saw desantis got PLAYED by THE SHERIFF and that is MICKEY MOUSE and desantis u and your little toaddies need to get out of town Disney is so loved and the MOUSE HOUSE rules long live the MOUSE and his KINGDOM ❤️
I wish that Desantis could read all of your DFB comments. Maybe he would wake up and realize he is not liked by many in the country. I’ve been a Disney annual passholder for many years and I live in Florida, did NOT vote for this little bully nor would I ever!! He is on his way to making us Floridians have to agree with him OR ELSE and he will retaliate against our state!! OOPS!! It is too late! He has banned so many things. His book BAN really sucks! Is he going to burn them too?! I grew up with Disney. Disney was the best thing that ever happened to my state and our economy. Does this moron realize he just got played by Disney? I LOVE IT!! Give it up Ron!! Lots of high fives for Disney! MICKEY MOUSE RULES!!
I wish that Desantis could read all of your DFB comments. Maybe he would wake up and realize he is not liked by many in the country. I’ve been a Disney annual passholder for many years and I live in Florida, did NOT vote for this little bully nor would I ever!! He is on his way to making us Floridians have to agree with him OR ELSE and he will retaliate against our state!! OOPS!! It is too late! He has banned so many things. His book BAN really sucks! Is he going to burn them too?! I grew up with Disney. Disney was the best thing that ever happened to my state and our economy. Does he realize he just got played by Disney? I LOVE IT!! Give it up Ron!! Lots of high fives for Disney! MICKEY MOUSE RULES!!