It’s been quite the week in the feud between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Walt Disney Company. Late last week, lawyers representing the Florida governor asked a Federal Judge to dismiss Disney’s suit against him, asking for “Disney’s surrender.” Gov DeSantis followed that up with an interview with CNBC in which he said he was “moving on” from the feud and that Disney CEO Bob Iger should “drop the lawsuit.”
But just when it seemed like there may be some light at the end of the tunnel, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District asked Orange County Circuit Court Judge Margaret Schreiber to rule in its favor without going to trial.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, the District’s lawyers argued that because the Reedy Creek Improvement District failed to follow the state’s public notice requirements for development agreements, Judge Schreiber should rule the agreements null and void. Disney argued in late July that because the Florida Legislature and Governor Ron DeSantis passed a law making those deals null and void, the case should be dismissed. Judge Schreiber ruled that the case should go forward.
In its filing, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District accuses Reedy Creek of giving its governmental powers to Disney World. The two sides are at odds over the “King Charles III” clauses that Disney signed with Reedy Creek before its dissolution. Those clauses stripped the CFTOD of its power until King Charles III’s last living descendent died.
This yearlong feud started when former Disney CEO Bob Chapek responded to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act, known by its critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Lawmakers passed legislation giving the new Board authority over Disney World and removing Disney World’s governing District.
Disney has a lawsuit pending in Federal Court against Florida Gov Ron DeSantis and his Board.
With the state court case moving forward, Disney has less than two weeks to respond to Circuit Judge Margaret Schreiber’s ruling that the lawsuit moves forward. There is no timetable for Disney’s Federal Court case.
We will continue to update this story at Disney Fanatic.