Florida Lawmakers Pass Bill To Void Walt Disney World’s Development Agreement With Special District

deadline.com:

Ron DeSantis is expected to sign a bill that would void Walt Disney World’s development agreement with a special district overseeing the theme parks and resorts, the latest move in a bitter battle between the company and the governor.

The state House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a land use bill, in a 75-34 vote, that would essentially invalidate Disney’s agreement with the Reedy Creek Improvement District in February, when the special district was still under the company’s control.

The bill now heads to DeSantis’ desk. The 30-year development agreement ensured that Disney maintained a great deal of automony over land use on its property and that surrounding it, even after DeSantis led a successful state effort to take control of the special district and install the governor’s own appointees to its board.

Disney last week sued the governor in federal court, claiming that DeSantis’ move to install his own appointees on the special district’s board was an act of retaliation after the company opposed his parental rights legislation, known as the “don’t say gay” bill.