Disney’s “Backroom Deal” For Florida Special District Control DOA, Ron DeSantis’ Handpicked Board Declares In Countersuit

deadline.com:

Disney’s seemingly successful efforts to outfox Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ power grab to control the area around Disney World are “not even worth the paper they were printed on,” according to a countersuit filed Monday by the GOP presidential aspirant’s replacement board. “The District is entitled to a declaration that: (1) the Development Agreement is void, unenforceable, and/or invalid, and (2) the Restrictive Covenants are void, unenforceable, and/or invalid,” said the complaint placed in a Sunshine State court by the DeSantis handpicked Central Florida Tourism Oversight District against the House of Mouse. “The District is further entitled to an order enjoining Disney from enforcing the Development Agreement and the Restrictive Covenants,” the 188-page document (only 35 pages are the actual lawsuit, the rest is exhibits) declares (read it here).

Promised by the five-member board after a vote earlier Monday, the countersuit seeks to volley back against Disney’s initial suit of April 26 alleging retaliation from the combative governorand the board.

Representatives for Disney could not be reached for comment on the countersuit, which they had been expecting. In an already pitched battle that started last year with the then Bob Chapek-run Disney’s fumbled opposition to Florida’s openly discriminatory “Don’t Say Gay” law, the company now led by Bob Iger would be hard-pressed to top the surreptitious hyperbole of today’s action if they did eventually produce a comment: Earlier this year, …the Florida Legislature took steps to restore the people’s sovereignty and established an independent Board to govern the District.