Allies of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and The Walt Disney Company have settled their legal dispute over the status of the semi-autonomous governing district that controls the land where the entertainment giant’s Orlando theme parks sit.
“We are pleased to put an end to all litigation pending in state court in Florida between Disney and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District,” a Disney spokesperson said on Wednesday.
“This agreement opens a new chapter of constructive engagement with the new leadership of the district and serves the interests of all parties by enabling significant continued investment and the creation of thousands of direct and indirect jobs and economic opportunity in the State,” the spokesperson said.
In December, Disney sued the board, whose members were handpicked by the Republican governor after he signed into law a measure that dissolved the Reedy Creek Improvement District.
Disney accused the board of breaching contracts it entered before the board took control of the park’s development.
The DeSantis board then countersued, Florida, claiming that Disney did not have the authority to enter into the contracts.
RCID was formed decades ago by the state to entice Disney, which was based in California, to build a theme park in Central Florida.
The Disney-dominated board exercised control over taxation, zoning and road and theme park maintenance with little interference from state and local governments.
In April 2022, legislators in Tallahassee dissolved the RCID — a move that was codified into law by DeSantis, who was smarting from Disney’s public opposition to a recently enacted state law — branded “Don’t Say Gay” by opponents — that banned the teaching of sex- and gender-identity education to elementary school students.
Last year,, Florida lawmakers approved renaming the RCID as the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District — whose members were to be appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate.
Just before the RCID’s dissolution, the now-defunct board struck an eleventh-hour deal with Disney that handed the company much of the body’s authority.
When the newly installed CFTOD declared the move null and void, Disney filed a lawsuit in federal court contesting the edict. That lawsuit was dismissed in January.
Disney has appealed the judge’s decision to dismiss the lawsuit.
Disney has accused DeSantis and the state government of violating the company’s First Amendment rights.