During today's Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board meeting, it was announced that Glen Gilzean is the front-runner to take over the job of District Administrator.
Gilzean is an ally of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who appointed him to the Florida Commission on Ethics. He was also part of DeSantis' working group for reopening Florida during the COVID pandemic. Gilzean currently serves as the President and CEO at Central Florida Urban League, an organization tasked with ending generational poverty and promoting equality.
Existing District Administrator John Classe, appointed by Reedy Creek Improvement District, is expected to remain in his position to aid in the transition to the new administrator.
The appointment of Gilzean would mean that the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District's board and administrator are all hand-picked allies of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
The action by DeSantis to strip Disney of its self-managing district came in retaliation to Disney's public opposition to the Parental Bill of Right law, which took place under ex-Disney CEO Bob Chapek. Speaking at the Reedy Creek firehouse on February 27 when signing the bill to end Reedy Creek, DeSantis said that Disney's opposition to the Parents Bill of Rights bill was a "mild annoyance," but that the state of Florida will no longer be "joined at the hip with one California-based company." After signing the bill DeSantis said, "the corporate kingdom finally came to an end."
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