Trump predicts Disney will halt investment in Florida
Lydia Nusbaum contributed to this report.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (FLV) – Former President Donald Trump reacted to the ongoing battle between Disney and Gov. Ron DeSantis, with the latest development being upcoming legislation that is intent on invalidating last-minute agreements Disney made with the former Reedy Creek board.
Reedy Creek was the district that encompassed Walt Disney World, which has since been replaced by DeSantis and the Legislature with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight Board.
“[DeSantis’] original P.R. plan fizzled, so now he’s going back with a new one in order to save face,” Trump said. “Disney’s next move will be the announcement that no more money will be invested in Florida because of the Governor – In fact, they could even announce a slow withdrawal or sale of certain properties, or the whole thing. Watch!”
“That would be a killer,” he continued. “In the meantime, this is all so unnecessary, a political STUNT! Ron should work on the squatter MESS!”
Trump’s comments came after DeSantis’ announcement of the new legislation at a Monday press conference.
“They negotiated with themselves to give themselves the ability to maintain their self-governing status,” DeSantis said. “Now that’s in direct defiance of the will of the people.”
Disney CEO Bob Iger has vocally soured on the battle. When he initially came back to the company as CEO late in 2022, he expressed regret for the company getting involved in the Parental Rights in Education Act’s passage, falsely called the “Don’t Say Gay law.”
Even despite Iger’s recent remarks that DeSantis is acting “anti-business” and “anti-Florida,” the company is still set to reportedly invest $17 billion in their Florida theme parks over the next 10 years.
The investment would reportedly create around 13,000 jobs.
The CEO touted Disney’s economic position in Florida: “We are the largest taxpayer in the state.”
“About 50 million visitors will go through our gates this year alone, about 8 million of them from outside the U.S.,” he said.
The previous Reedy Creek district board, hand-picked by Disney, quickly slipped through an agreement to give Disney 30-year vested rights and control over all development rights throughout the entire district – not just on Disney’s property.
Those agreements were signed days before a new law went into effect to strip Reedy Creek board of its powers.
The Central Florida Tourism district learned in March about the last minute Disney agreement. Lawyers said the agreements “bind” the hands of the new board and are “unlawful.”
“That’s not going to work. That’s not going to fly,” DeSantis said Monday. “The agreements themselves have a plethora of legal infirmities that render them void anyways.”
