According to a report from the Orlando Sentinel, a spokesperson for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis says that DeSantis expects there to be a special session next week to discuss the State’s takeover of the Reedy Creek Improvement District.
The governor’s office anticipates a special session next week on Reedy Creek and other items
DeSantis is said to seek a state-controlled version of the special taxing district currently known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID). DeSantis has previously said that he wants Disney to pay the debts of the district despite no current law requiring them to do so. Disney has been quiet on the topic, seemingly letting DeSantis make a more formal proposal before commenting publically. Disney has also been said to be working behind the scenes in an effort to retain the vast majority of the current RCID structure while helping DeSantis claim victory over woke culture”.
The road to dismantling the Reedy Creek Improvement District is a winding one, but one that started essentially out of retaliation by DeSantis after he and Disney butted heads over the “Don’t Say Gay” law earlier this year. Here’s a timeline of the fallout:
March 2022
- March 7th – Disney CEO Bob Chapek sends out a company-wide email that says that Disney will not denounce the “Don’t Say Gay” bill and that the company will essentially try to stay out of politics.
- March 9th – Disney CEO Bob Chapek attempts to walk back his email, saying that the company has been “opposed to the bill from the outset”.
- March 10th – The Human Rights Organization rejects Disney’s donation
- March 11th – Disney CEO Bob Chapek sends a company-wide email apologizing for lack of action and advocacy on “Don’t Say Gay” bill
- March 22nd – Hundreds of Disney employees participate in a walkout at Disney Headquarters over the company’s initial apathy over “Don’t Say Gay” bill
- March 28th – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signs “Don’t Say Gay” into law, Disney responds
- March 30th – Florida lawmakers begin floating the idea of dismantling the Reedy Creek Improvement District in retaliation for Disney’s support of LGBTQIA+ communities
April
- April 20th – Florida Senate passes bill to dismantle the Reedy Creek Improvement District
- April 22nd – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signs bill to dismantle Reedy Creek Improvement District
May
- May 2nd – DeSantis is said to want to create his own “Lake Buena Vista District” in place of the Reedy Creek Improvement District
- May 16th – DeSantis says that he’ll make Disney pay an outstanding RCID debt of $1 billion despite no laws requiring Disney to do so
August
- August 23rd – In a motion to dismiss a lawsuit against the state, DeSantis’ lawyers argue the RCID dissolution might not happen
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!