ORLANDO, Fla. — The Florida Legislature will reassert that the state has control of Disney World’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, Gov. Ron DeSantis declared in the theme park’s backyard Monday.
At a news conference in Lake Buena Vista, DeSantis also said lawmakers would take away the company’s self-inspection of rides and monorails and also allow the state to examine a ride if someone is seriously injured on it.
He then mused about potentially selling off utilities, and even developing Reedy Creek land that Disney doesn’t own.
“People are like, ‘Well, there’s what should we do with this land?” said a smiling DeSantis. “ … Maybe create a state park, maybe try to do more amusement parks? Someone even said, ‘Maybe you need another state prison?’ Who knows? I just think that the possibilities are endless.”
He also claimed the last-minute moves by the outgoing board to grant Disney wide-ranging powers over the district had a “plethora of legal infirmities” and that a provision of state law allowed the state to revoke development agreements.
The governor said lawmakers could move on the Disney bills as soon as next week.
DeSantis had said earlier this month he would work to void agreements that limited the power of his new tourism oversight board. He also said he would consider tolls and hotel taxes at Disney World.
“Ultimately we’re going to win on every single issue involving Disney, I can tell you that,” DeSantis said in a speech at Hillsdale College in Michigan.
DeSantis’ hand-picked oversight board, which will meet on Wednesday, will also consider revoking the development agreement and other measures.
The feud started last year when Disney opposed the Parental Rights in Education law, which critics called “don’t say gay.” That legislation limits classroom instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation in public schools.
DeSantis blasted Disney as being a “woke” corporation. Disney announced it would halt its political giving in Florida.
Earlier this year, Florida lawmakers approved a state takeover of the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which Disney used to effectively self-govern its theme park and resorts in Florida.
Lawmakers voted to put the governor in charge of appointing the district’s five board members and change its name to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. In late February, Disney announced he was appointing five Republican allies to replace the Disney-friendly board.
In the past, the district’s landowners elected the board members, allowing Disney to effectively control the district.
When the new board member took over in March, they discovered the previous board had approved a development agreement and “declaration of restrictive covenants” that they said limited their authority.