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All is not magic in the house of the Magic Kingdom. For the past year, Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has been in a very public battle with Walt Disney World, and it doesn’t seem to be over yet.
The rift opened more than a year ago, when the parent company of the California attraction, Walt Disney Co., spoke out against the controversial state law limiting the discussion of sexual orientation and gender expression in Florida schools.
DeSantis went after Disney World – with its four theme parks, two water parks and many hotels and resorts – and stripped it of its special tax district status, which means it has been a self-governing enclave in the Sunshine State for more than. 50 years.
As his spat with Disney shows, the 44-year-old has a no-holds-barred approach to taking on businesses and entities that don’t share his views. But his political tactics could have wider implications.
Here’s how the DeSantis-Disney feud started, why it’s still going on and why it matters beyond Florida.
Florida’s Republican Governor, Ron DeSantis, took another swing at one of his state’s biggest businesses, Walt Disney World, as he halted his campaign in the US ahead of his presidential bid.
Disney Talks About ‘Don’t Talk About Gay’ Law
In the spring of 2022, DeSantis signed what is known as the “Don’t Talk Gay” law — actually Parental Rights in Education Act – prohibit discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in classrooms from kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Expansion of action, that will exceed the limit for all degreescurrently working its way through the Florida legislature.
6:46 a.mThis family says Florida’s ‘Don’t Talk Gay’ bill will destroy their daughter and erase their history
Brandon Hensler doesn’t want his four-year-old daughter to feel like the “other” when she starts school next year just because she has two daddies. But he said that is exactly what will happen if Florida passes the so-called “Don’t Talk Gay” Bill, which limits the discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in the classroom.
The law sparked a national debate and was condemned by human rights groups, free speech advocates and educational organizations.
Staff at Disney World, which is one of the nation’s largest employers, demanded the company take a stand.
Then Disney CEO Bob Chapek finally issue a statement said that the company and its leaders “strongly support LGBTQ+ employees, their families, and their communities.”
Chapek also said he spoke with the governor to express Disney’s concerns.
What did DeSantis do to Disney?
DeSantis didn’t like it and pointed at it Reedy Creek Independent Districta special taxing district created by the State of Florida for Disney World when the park’s construction began in 1967.
Reedy Creek straddles two different Florida counties. Instead of relying on neighbors to provide essential services for Disney World, the tax revenue generated in the district remains and funds the fire department, emergency medical response, wastewater management and road maintenance.
Having its own administrative body also allows Disney to make decisions that would otherwise be made by local governments, such as approving zoning for the construction of new attractions.
Last April, DeSantis signed to eliminate the special district, and Reedy Creek is set to be dissolved on June 1, 2023, along with five other unrelated special districts that were caught.
But more legislation was passed and signed by DeSantis in late February than bringing Reedy Creek under state control. It was renamed the Central Florida Tourism Supervisory District and the government appointed a five-person board of supervisors — all DeSantis allies — to manage the mega-park’s municipal affairs.
Disney’s counter move
While it may seem like mission accomplished for DeSantis, Disney is already ahead of him.
Earlier in February, the outgoing Reedy Creek Board agreed to cede much of its power to Walt Disney Parks and Resorts US Inc., meaning the incoming board has limited decision-making ability beyond managing basic infrastructure.
In the deal with Disney, the outgoing board members also added another clause – one fit for royalty.
As NPR reportedthe clause stated that the new agreement with Disney was allowed to continue “until twenty-one (21) years after the death of the last surviving descendant of King Charles III.”
Although neither Florida nor the US is ruled by a monarchy, it is common legal practice to tie consent to a certain age. Because they live longer than most, members of the royal family are a popular choice. In this case, the youngest descendant of King Charles is Princess Lilibet, the daughter of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan who is almost two years older.
Nothing is done in secret. The agreement was made in a scheduled meeting and everything is on the record. But no one seemed to notice.
After the new board learned of the deal nearly a month later, it hired a lawyer. An outraged DeSantis has ordered an investigation into the incident.
Front burner24:29Trouble at the Magic Kingdom: Florida vs. Disney
Disney is embroiled in a battle with Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis over a recently introduced education bill that critics are calling a “Don’t Talk Gay” law. After Disney’s CEO fought back, state lawmakers revoked the theme park’s special tax status that it had held for more than half a century. Today on Front Burner, New York Times reporter Brooks Barnes explains how this is the latest flashpoint in America’s culture war.
Does this problem extend beyond Florida
Disney’s current CEO, Bob Iger, criticized DeSantis at a shareholder meeting this week, saying the governor’s retaliation against the company, for speaking out on controversial legislation, is “anti-business” and even “anti-Florida.”
Disney World is the top tourist attraction in the country, with four theme parks on record 36 million visits in 2021, including many of the 3.5 million Canadians who travel to Florida each year. It is a major contributor to Central Florida’s tourism sector, estimated to have an economic impact of more than US$75 billion on businesses and other industries in the region.
Disney World generated more than $5 billion in state taxes, according to USA Today in 2021.
Florida is the fourth largest economy in the country and Canada is a state largest international trading partnerwith more than $7.7 billion Cdn in bilateral trade, according to the Trade Commission website, which also notes that Canadian business owners operate nearly 600 businesses in the country, while Canadians own approximately $60 billion Cdn in property there.
DeSantis isn’t worried about passing laws that directly target businesses and corporations, for example Stop WOKE Act, which addresses race education and so-called critical race theory. He also kept going laws against businesses and financial institutions with environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) policies.
But DeSantis’ influence extends beyond his state, with many Republicans following his lead and viewing him as the future of the party.
The president’s ambitions now seem certain. He toured the country and weighed in on national political debates. And he has done what presidents before him have done by releasing a book. It is called The Courage to Be Free: Florida’s Blueprint for an American Revival.
Although the cohort of presidential candidates is rapidly increasing, various polls show DeSantis is currently the only real contender who can challenge another prominent Florida resident for the Republican nomination – former US president Donald Trump.
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