Florida House passes the bill to eliminate Disney's Reedy Creek Improvement District

Apr 21, 2022 in "The Walt Disney Company"

Posted: Thursday April 21, 2022 2:40pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

The Florida House of Representatives has today followed the Florida Senate and voted to pass the bill to terminate Disney's Reedy Creek Improvement District.

Earlier this week, the Florida Senate voted 23-16 to pass a bill to dissolve Disney's Reedy Creek Improvement District as Governor Ron DeSantis continues to work to punish Disney for opposing Florida's HB 1557, also known as the 'Don't Say Gay' bill.

The bill will now go to Ron DeSantis to sign, leading to the possibility that the Reedy Creek Improvement District will be dissolved on June 1 2023.

The bill is likely to receive a number of legal challenges before any implications are realized for Disney. At this stage, it appears that nobody involved in voting for the elimination of Ready Creek has any plan to handle the district's massive debt and how current Reedy Creek responsibilities could be handled by Orange and Osceola Counties. Representatives of Orange County have suggested that its residents may see massive tax hikes to cover the Reedy Creek debt.

The creation of the Reedy Creek Improvement District in 1967 allowed Disney the luxury of establishing its own independent government that handles many aspects of the Walt Disney World property, including emergency services, infrastructure, and construction permitting. It remains unclear how the elimination of Reedy Creek could actually be implemented and how Disney would respond.

In a second vote, the House also passed a measure to remove the protection that Disney has regarding tech firm censorship.

These latest moves follow escalating tensions between DeSantis and Disney CEO Bob Chapek regarding Disney's opposition to Florida's HB 1557, also known as the 'Don't Say Gay' bill.

Disney has suspended all political donations in the state of Florida in response to the bill.

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lazyboy97o2 minutes ago

It’s not actually a timeline issue. Even if the could instantly widen, it would often not be enough.

SamusAranX12 minutes ago

As far as traffic, they can keep widening and building but it’s a half measure, if that. By the time they widen there’s even more growth and it’s already at capacity. Hmmm, remind you of a specific theme park? It’s one of the many reasons I’m seriously contemplating leaving Florida. Tampa has the same issue. They and the surrounding counties just keep building out and out and out, rather than biting the bullet and addressing the core issues; and or limiting growth, being more purposeful

lazyboy97o28 minutes ago

This, this, this! Iger has capitulated multiple times now and it has meant squat. It was also ridiculous to describe his capitulation as “mature”, “level headed” or a “compromise.” Just wait until some International Program Cast Members get disappeared.

mmascari30 minutes ago

No, anything from any government agency. Disney will worry (rightly so) that fighting the FCC will have a negative impact on any approval required from any government agency. Such as the SEC or FTC having to approve a merger acquisition. It is all one executive branch. They should fight it. Giving it will not save them from any future action. That is the lesson that is abundantly clear. No matter how many times a company gives in, it will never stop future attacks. The only real option is to fight from the start.

UNCgolf47 minutes ago

Just look what happened with Paul Weiss.

Stripes49 minutes ago

Remind me, how many shares does the Murdoch family have invested in Disney?

lazyboy97o52 minutes ago

People who claim to not be bound by the law aren’t much concerned with things like jurisdiction.

Stripes52 minutes ago

So what do you suggest? You are saying if they fight they will lose and if they settle then they lost.

flynnibus52 minutes ago

Again.. we're talking since January dude. You're relying on irrelevant info these days.

Disstevefan155 minutes ago

"Bob the buyer" has purchased (and over paid) for enough cr@p anyway.

Stripes57 minutes ago

The FTC has lost a lot of lawsuits in recent years. I’ve read some of their complaints and I get second hand embarrassment for the lawyers that drafted them.

flynnibus1 hour ago

And who do you think is controlling the FTC these days?? Hint.. it's another puppet.

flynnibus1 hour ago

Not one of those cases has been closed yet - in some cases the courts have issued orders to deal with the temporary halts, but it means nothing when the executive branch ignores them. Thousands will fill lawsuits - but we'll all be much older by the time anything comes of it.. and what till then? This is the reality for all those 'probationary' workers... and all the future suits about appropriated funding, etc. The "the courts will save us..." approach assumes the courts will be respected. And it should be pretty obvious where we are with that right now.

Stripes1 hour ago

As it relates to the FCC, the FCC only has jurisdiction over the 8 local ABC stations Disney owns and they would need to approve the acquisition or sale of any broadcast station.