According to DeSantis’s statements, Disney may not get the last laugh after all.
After reaching a backroom deal, the individuals DeSantis put in charge of Disney’s self-governing district are now claiming they have no power.
You ain’t seen nothing yet,” DeSantis cautioned.
The new governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, made a sarcastic remark on Thursday about the board he named to manage Disney’s massive amusement park business.
DeSantis told a crowd in Smyrna, Georgia, on his book tour, “There are a lot of little back-and-forths going on now that the state is in charge.” But trust me, you know that this is just the beginning.
Disney used a legalese clause that makes a passing allusion to King Charles III to terminate DeSantis’ watchdog group.
Disney’s legal staff has concluded that the case presents a number of legal challenges.
As it stands, these deals appear to have serious procedural flaws that could make them worthless in court. Taryn Fenske, communications director for DeSantis, issued a statement on Thursday voicing her boss’s approval of the new board’s choice to hire several accounting and legal firms to examine Disney’s past practices.
Walt Disney and Governor DeSantis have been at odds ever since he signed his “Don’t Say Gay” bill into law in March of 2022. This law makes it illegal to bring up the topic of gender identity in the classroom.
The Reedy Creek Improvement District is a 40-square-mile area where Disney made his illegal comments. The company was able to accomplish this by using what it claims are long-dormant legal rights.
DeSantis countered by proposing his own board of directors to remove local control from the school system.
It would appear that Disney has planned to sabotage the Governor’s nominees’ swearing-in at the last minute.
This proclamation shall stay in full force and effect until 21 years have passed since the death of the last direct descendant of King Charles III of England who is alive on the date of this declaration.
The “last survivor,” Princess Lilibet of Sussex, is presently residing in the Golden State.
Lawyers frequently use the so-called “Royal Clause” to get around time limits in contracts that go on indefinitely. Members of the British Royal Family, according to Bricketts, have a longer life span than the general populace, and the family tree of the royals is well-documented in official records.
According to the recently elected board that DeSantis personally selected, this secret deal gives them no authority over Reedy Creek.
An deal reached between Disney and the Central Florida board prior to the latter’s departure earlier this year guarantees Disney 30 years of exclusive use of the region.
The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District has hired lawyers to argue that a secret arrangement permits Disney to build a new theme park within the district’s borders.
Disney is now allowed to build multiple smaller amusement sites, according to the new board, which shrank from five members to a single symbol.
Board member Brian Aungst said on Wednesday that the problem needs to be addressed and fixed. It is a coup d’état because it is carried out against the will of the people, the government, and the leader. It completely destroys their chance of establishing a dynasty.
The DeSantis administration has had a contentious history with Disney, which has been given wide latitude to operate under current CEO Bob Iger. Disney World is the main source of income for the business.
Reedy Creek Improvement District’s “corporate kingdom” fell in February after DeSantis assumed control. He reassured them that the company would eventually be made to pay the taxes it had avoided paying because of its remote position.
Disney says the plan is legal in the state in question, and on Wednesday the governor’s new board revealed that a hired special attorney had uncovered the plan. The Republican governor selected the scheme.
Members of the board, however, say that the decision was taken weeks before DeSantis approved HB-9B without consulting them.
Anguished board member Ron Peri expressed his feelings on Wednesday.
From where I’m sitting, Disney is the ruler, but it didn’t live up to my lofty aspirations.
The board has also specified that the district cannot use the Disney name, Mickey Mouse, or any other characters from the $180 billion company without Disney’s approval.
During a live meeting on Wednesday, board members acknowledged they didn’t know how to handle the 27,000-acre area without Disney’s blessing.
“This board loses, practically speaking, most of its power to do anything” outside of “routine infrastructure maintenance and emergency road repairs.”
The board members’ lawyers made it clear at the meeting that they intend to challenge the contract’s legality.
“This Declaration shall remain in effect until twenty-one (21) years after the death of the last surviving descendant of King Charles III, King of England,” reads the language of the deal reached on February 8.
Although it may seem strange at first, the length of this limitation is based on the “Royal Clauses,” a long-standing legal rule that states the length of a covenant should be equal to the person’s age at the time the guideline is written plus 21 years.
Commonly used in corporate law and real estate transactions, the concept of “perpetual duration” was conceived as a legal mechanism to guarantee the perpetuity of estates and avoid the expiration of laws with unlimited terms of existence.
Princess Lilibet, Prince Charles’s youngest living cousin, is only one year old, so if nothing is done, this time period could be quite a while.
As a result, on Wednesday, the phrase #longlivelilibet trended on Twitter, suggesting that internet users are aware of the odd custom.
The Themed Entertainment Association estimates that by the year 2021, Disney World will have 36.2 million visitors and will provide jobs for nearly 75,000 individuals in central Florida.
After granting Disney independence for over fifty years, the state assembly chose last year to dismantle the special district that gave Disney with fire protection, water, sewage, and trash disposal.
In retaliation for former Disney CEO Bob Chapek’s opposition to DeSantis’ “Don’t Say Gay” measure (also known as the “Stop W.O.K.E.” act), this was seen as a way to get even; however, the action had unintended consequences.
County residents would be on the line for about $1.2 billion in bond debt if the district were dissolved in June 2023, according to estimates from tax experts and lawmakers.
Upon expiration of the grace time, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District will replace the Reedy Creek special district as the official moniker.
It will be responsible for taxation, debt payment, and other governmental operations, and it will forbid the construction of the country’s own airfield or nuclear power plants.
Board members must have had no financial or personal connections to entertainment facilities within the past three years, as made abundantly clear by the new law.
Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle issued a statement explaining that Disney works under “a number of different models and jurisdictions.”
The millions of tourists who arrive here every year can always count on us to give them the best service imaginable.
A constituent of Governor DeSantis’s in Orlando named “Geri” Thompson voiced worry that the governor’s selections would reflect his views on diversity and inclusion, according to Florida Senator Geraldine F. Grassley.
I’m worried that he’ll try to infiltrate Disney’s programming in an effort to eliminate themes of diversity, equity, and inclusion,” Thompson told Reuters at the time.