Disney has filed a notice with the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit of its intent to appeal Judge Allen Winsor's decision to dismiss the company's lawsuit against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.
Notice is given that Plaintiff Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, U.S., Inc. ("Disney") hereby appeals to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit from the Order Granting Motions to Dismiss (ECF No. 114) and the final judgment (ECF No. 115) entered by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida on January 31, 2024.
Yesterday, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida dismissed the lawsuit Walt Disney Parks and Resorts filed against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and CFTOD. The lawsuit challenged legislative changes that stripped Disney of its control over the Reedy Creek Improvement District, now the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD), alleging that these changes were retaliatory and violated Disney's First Amendment rights. The court ruled that Disney lacked standing to sue the Governor and the Secretary of Florida's Department of Commerce and dismissed Disney's claims against the CFTOD board members on the merits, stating that a facially constitutional statute cannot be challenged based on alleged unconstitutional motives of lawmakers.
In a statement released following the court case's dismissal, a Disney spokesperson told WDWMAGIC, "This is an important case with serious implications for the rule of law, and it will not end here. If left unchallenged, this would set a dangerous precedent and give license to states to weaponize their official powers to punish the expression of political viewpoints they disagree with. We are determined to press forward with our case."
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