Via InsideTheMagic.net
A recent story published by Forbes.com suggests that Walt Disney World Resort will undoubtedly add a fifth Disney Park and has already begun development for the project.
Walt Disney World Resort found itself immersed in a political battle against Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis last year after former CEO Bob Chapek spoke out against The Parental Rights in Education Act. Better known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, the legislation essentially forbids discussion of sexuality and gender with children and empowers teachers to our children to their parents. After Disney fans and Cast Members protested, DeSantis warned Chapek not to speak out against the law. Still, the former CEO denounced the conservative bill and promised to pause political donations to legislators that supported the law.
In response, Gov. DeSantis introduced and passed legislation to dissolve Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, a legislative privilege held by The Walt Disney Company since 1967. The Right-wing governor appointed a hand-selected board to take over the municipal district, now called The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. The government board officially took over last month, but The Mouse may have gotten the last laugh.
In a brilliant move by Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger, the company was able to circumnavigate Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s control over the Reedy Creek Improvement District. The board claims that, before their takeover, The Walt Disney Company quietly passed restrictive covenants that would render the board powerless for decades. In addition to making that board essentially a puppet entity, it was also reported by Screamscape that as part of this development agreement, the Reedy Creek Improvement District board had approved plans for Disney to build a fifth Theme Park within the Walt Disney World Resort by 2032 and two other more minor additions to the property, such as water parks.
Many have claimed this was Bob Iger’s and The Walt Disney Company’s way of getting payback at DeSantis. However, the move might just be a little bit more nuanced than that.
According to Caroline Reid, she would go on to publish in her most recent opinion piece that “There’s no doubt that a fifth Theme Park appears to be under development and 13,000 new jobs in Florida could be on the line if it doesn’t go ahead. Even if Disney doesn’t actually intend to develop a fifth park it appears to be seriously considering it, and this suits it just fine. On the one hand, a fifth Park hasn’t been officially announced, so no one will be let down if it doesn’t go ahead. On the other hand, does DeSantis want to risk calling Disney’s bluff by overturning the RCID’s decision and being known as the man who cost Florida 13,000 new jobs? That would be anything but a happy ending and would be a great gamble as Disney might not even have concrete plans to develop a fifth Park.”
Either way, for now, it seems that Disney and Bob Iger have accomplished what they wanted for the time being.