DeSantis’ Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board to Countersue Disney

Today the new Board that replaced the Reedy Creek Improvement District held a meeting to discuss how to handle Disney’s lawsuit against them. Now the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board will countersue in response.

Disney argues that the Governor violated their “freedom of speech” by taking away their rule over their special district. Disney got to keep their district, while other special districts were canceled. Disney was to stay separate from the Governing Board, which they were supposed to do before. However, it seems they had their Walt Disney World attorney draft restrictive covenants under the RCID attorney’s name, essentially contracting with themselves which is apparently a “no-no.”

Along with the Governor, Disney has decided to sue the appointed Board. The Governor appointed the new Board and they haven’t been there long enough to do much except vote to nullify the restrictive covenants that possibly aren’t legal. It seems excessive to sue them individually if Disney is upset over “freedom of speech.”

The Board met today and voted unanimously to sue Disney in the Florida State Court.

I don’t know how smart it is for Disney to tie things up in court more. Unless they will use it as an excuse for why they can’t build a new park or other expansions, given their situation, business model shift, and layoffs, Disney likely doesn’t have the $17 billion that Bob Iger tossed out at the Annual Shareholder Meeting currently freed up. Even if they did, the legal issues could stall them from developing anything. But this way, they could blame DeSantis and his Board, hoping that public opinion sides with them.

Their demands boil down to the federal government giving them everything back. Make no mistake this is about Disney keeping powers they shouldn’t have had in the first place.

I think the general public is starting to think it’s all ridiculous.

What do you think? Comment and let us know!