Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has responded to Disney Parks & Resorts suing him and his Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board of Supervisors over their voiding Disney’s Development Agreement with the old Reedy Creek Improvement District Board. During a press conference in Jerusalem, part of his “international trade mission,” DeSantis said, “I don’t think the … Read more
Walt Disney World is suing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board of Supervisors he appointed. Disney Files Lawsuit Against Governor DeSantis & CFTOD Board Disney names DeSantis, Meredith Ivey (Acting Secretary of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity), Martin Garcia (Board Chair), and Board members Michael Sasso, Brian Aungst, … Read more
After voiding Disney’s final agreement with the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board of Supervisors voted to make it illegal for businesses within the district to exercise any COVID-19 preventative measures. At the start of the Wednesday meeting, several Disney Springs business owners appeared before the board to express their … Read more
The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board of Supervisors appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis has officially voted to void Disney’s final agreement with the previous Reedy Creek Improvement District board. During their Wednesday meeting, the Board of Supervisors declared the Development Agreement and Declaration of Restrictive Covenants null and void. They cited a failure to … Read more
Republican Senator Nick DiCeglie has filed an amendment to require state inspections for the Walt Disney World Monorails. The amendment was added to SB 1250 regarding the Florida Department of Transportation. It states the “department shall adopt by rule minimum safety standards for governmentally owned fixed-guideway transportation systems, privately owned or operated fixed-guideway transportation systems … Read more
Amidst the rising and continued tension between Walt Disney World and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, North Carolina state senator Michael Garrett has introduced Senate Bill 594, “Mickey’s Freedom Restoration Act,” which invites Disney to the Tar Heel State and, ultimately, paves the way for any major new theme park to stake its claim in the … Read more
One of the lawyers for the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District’s Board of Supervisors claims Disney’s deal with the previous Reedy Creek Improvement District board violates state law. During the board’s Wednesday meeting, they met with legal counsel, including David H. Thompson of Cooper & Kirk. Thompson said, “The bottom line is that Disney engaged … Read more
The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (formerly the Reedy Creek Improvement District) Board of Supervisors held a meeting today during which they terminated the Planning and Zoning Board. Chair Martin Garcia also said that the district would be looking into monetizing the district’s land assets, including creating new zoning for affordable workforce housing. Monetizing the … Read more
The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board of Supervisors, appointed by Governor DeSantis to take over Reedy Creek Improvement District, unanimously voted to terminate the Planning and Zoning Board members and appoint themselves as the local planning agency. This makes the Board of Supervisors “the final decision-making authority for the District” and ensures “no further … Read more
Yesterday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced a variety of potential changes coming down the pipeline for Walt Disney World through legal changes via the newly established Central Florida Tourism Oversight Board. DeSantis claimed the “11th hour” agreement created by the Reedy Creek Improvement District was full of “a plethora of legal infirmities that render them … Read more
Earlier today, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis held a press conference to once again discuss his grievances with Walt Disney World and the Walt Disney Company. While the company has yet to respond publicly, Disney has issued an email to media partners, quietly fact-checking the comments made at this afternoon’s press conference. Taxes and Contributions to … Read more
According to the Orlando Sentinel, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (previously known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District) found that “no records exist” regarding a public records request made on March 30 by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody. An additional request from the Sentinel itself produced the same results. The Attorney General requested the … Read more
The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District will have a busy meeting on April 19, during which they will discuss their resolution for “Superior Authority” and meet with legal counsel regarding Disney and Reedy Creek Improvement District’s last-minute agreements. The meeting agenda includes a report from the board’s general counsel and a presentation by the litigation … Read more
The Board of Supervisors of the new Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, which takes over Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, is planning a resolution for “Superior Authority” over the district. Resolution No. 639 will be introduced at the next meeting, which was postponed to April 19. It intends to add a new section to the … Read more
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has officially ordered an investigation into potential civil and criminal violations of the previous Reedy Creek Improvement District Board of Supervisors. DeSantis Launches Investigation Into RCID The Executive Office of the Governor shared the following letter from Governor DeSantis to Melinda Miguel, Chief Inspector General of the State of Florida outlining … Read more
After his office released a statement, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis responded directly to the news of Disney and Reedy Creek Improvement District’s last-minute agreements before the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board took over, CNN reports. DeSantis said during a book tour event in Smyrna, Georgia, on Thursday, “There’s a lot of little back-and-forths going … Read more