The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CTFOD) board, now in charge of the former Reedy Creek Improvement District, has publicized emails that they claim show illegal action by Disney.
Before following Republican Governor Ron DeSantis’s orders to dissolve the district in February, Reedy Creek quietly rushed a development agreement that effectively rendered the board powerless. Beyond municipal maintenance, most of the former board’s power went back to Walt Disney World Resort. CTFOD is forbidden from using Disney-owned trademarks or making significant changes until 22 years after the death of the last current living descendant of King Charles III.
DeSantis bashed Disney in response, promising legal action, threatening increased tourism taxes, and suggesting he would build a state prison just steps from Walt Disney World Resort. Amidst consulting with legal counsel, the CTFOD board leaked emails between Disney lawyers and Reedy Creek board members.
First obtained by FOX News, the emails allegedly show Walt Disney World Resort chief counsel John McGowan attempting to hide The Walt Disney Company’s involvement in the last-minute scheme against DeSantis.
“My name is currently at the top of the document as a drafter,” McGowan allegedly wrote. “And I am comfortable having my name on it, but from an optics perspective that is not ideal and it would be better to have a non-Disney employee be the drafter.”
McGowan’s name was later removed from the document, which DeSantis claimed was “designed to usurp the authority of the CFTOD board.”
During its meeting on Wednesday, DeSantis’s hand-picked board voted to eliminate the former Planning Board and appointed itself to the task. After officially taking over, board members introduced agenda items like forbidding COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates on Reedy Creek property.
