Central Florida Tourism Oversight District lawsuit against Disney asks the court to declare contracts void and says they are 'not even worth the paper they were printed on'

The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District has now filed its lawsuit in the 9th Judicial Circuit Orange County against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

The 188-page lawsuit opens by saying that "in an effort to stymie Florida's elected representatives, Disney covertly cobbled together a series of eleventh- hour deals with its soon-to-be-replaced puppet government."

The suit continues, "Disney hoped to tie the hands of the new, independent Board and to preserve Disney's special status as its own government in the District for at least the next thirty years. These agreements reek of a backroom deal—drafted by Disney with the acquiescence a lawyer who represented both Disney and the District, set for hearing without proper notice, and hustled through a compliant Disney-controlled Board that Disney knew would not dwell long on the issue. But perhaps out of haste or arrogance, Disney's deals violate basic principles of Florida constitutional, statutory, and common law. As a result, they are null and void—not even worth the paper they were printed on."

The lawsuit repeats many of the same claims presented at the April 26 district board meeting, where the motion to declare Disney's agreements with Reedy Creek Improvement null and void was approved. It asks the court to declare that the Development Agreement and Restrictive Covenants void, unenforceable, and/or invalid.

You can view the full Central Florida Tourism Oversight District lawsuit against Disney here.

This evening's lawsuit follows comments by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis that the state is also working on new legislation to revoke Disney's previous agreements with Reedy Creek.