Florida - April 17, 2023: Governor DeSantis Monday announced plans to void the revised development contracts adopted last month by the former Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) right before the newly formed Central Florida Tourism Oversight Board (CFTOD) took over.
Those revised development contracts would assign key development rights to Walt Disney World for decades to come, and would render the new CFTOD Board virtually powerless.
At a news conference on Disney's doorstep in Lake Buena Vista, DeSantis said that both the CFTOD Board and the Florida Legislature will take action within the coming days to "nullify the eleventh-hour agreements adopted by the outgoing Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) with Walt Disney World."
"Basically they did a legal fiction," said the Governor. "They negotiated with themselves to give themselves the ability to maintain their self-governing status. Now that's in direct defiance of the will on the people of Florida."
He said the agreements are riddled with "legal deficiencies, including including failure to provide required notices." And he accused Disney of engaging in "a blatant attempt by a private corporation to subvert the will of Floridians through shady tactics."
The Governor said he has been working with leaders in the legislature to craft legislation that will be introduced next week that would "prevent compliance with 'poison pill' agreements like the collusive agreements executed by Disney and the prior Disney-controlled RCID board."
In addition DeSantis said he expects the newly formed CFTOD Board to void the previous Board's action at their meeting on Wednesday of this week, declaring the RCID development agreement void and unenforceable.
"Despite their repeated and futile attempts to circumvent the Legislature and the will of the people," the Governor said "Disney’s corporate kingdom is over."
READ the Governor's News release in FULL below:
For Immediate Release: April 17, 2023
Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Legislative Action to Rebuke Disney’s Last-Ditch Attempt to Defy the Legislature and the State of Florida
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis was joined by Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson and members of the Legislature to announce legislative and Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) Board actions to nullify the eleventh-hour agreements adopted by the outgoing Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) with Walt Disney World. These agreements are riddled with legal deficiencies, including including failure to provide required notices, and are a blatant attempt by a private corporation to subvert the will of Floridians through shady tactics.
“Disney’s corporate kingdom is over – despite their repeated and futile attempts to circumvent the Legislature and the will of the people,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Their cheerleaders in the media thought that Disney ‘outsmarted’ the state, but the new control board uncovered their sloppy scheme, and the agreements will be nullified by new legislation that I intend to execute. Disney will operate on a level playing field with every other business in Florida. I look forward to the additional actions that the state control board will implement in the upcoming days.”
“The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services stands ready to work with Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature on ideas to increase public safety. Nobody wants more bureaucracy and mindless red tape from government, but we should always consider appropriate safety measures consistent with actual risk,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson. “The Legislature will close a loophole, resulting in a better experience for visitors and residents in the Sunshine State who enjoy our many theme parks.”
Section 163.3241, Florida Statutes (F.S.), requires revocation of a development agreement if the Legislature subsequently enacts legislation that precludes compliance with the agreement. The proposed legislation would prevent compliance with “poison pill” agreements like the collusive agreements executed by Disney and the prior Disney-controlled RCID board. Additionally, the newly established CFTOD Board is expected to take up an action to declare the RCID development agreement void and unenforceable.
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