In Florida, everyone seems to have an opinion on the feud between the Walt Disney Company and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Despite his numbers nationally, DeSantis is still very popular in the state. A recent poll suggested that Florida might be the only state he could win in the upcoming Republic Primary. But some believe this feud hurts business in Florida and the state’s reputation nationwide.
And while the opinions vary throughout the state, one would think that DeSantis’ hometown Dunedin would be solidly in his corner. But even that isn’t very easy. The Gulf Coast town about 100 miles away from Walt Disney World relies heavily on tourism, and its most successful campaign involved luring tourists to Dunedin for some time on the beach after the hustle and bustle of Disney World.
Dunedin Chamber of Commerce Chairman Gregory Brady told CNBC:
Disney overall has a positive impact, because we don’t pay local and state taxes. And that is really driven by our tourism in Florida.
Like the rest of Florida, Dunedin’s economy relies heavily on tourism for its tax base. There is some concern in the town that the longer this feud with the Walt Disney Company continues, it could hurt tourism in the coastal city. Brady is concerned that besides tourism, this feud could also scare aware business investment in the area.
Brady is also concerned about the effect DeSantis and the Florida Legislature’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws could have on the state. It was, after all, Disney’s response to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill that escalated this situation. DeSantis reacted by stripping Walt Disney World of its self-governing Reedy Creek Improvement District. Now, both sides are suing each other in court.
Dunedin has a yearly Pride Celebration, which Brady organized. The event attacks several corporate sponsors yearly, and Brady is concerned that money will dry up after Governor DeSantis passes those laws. While campaigning, DeSantis also released a video taunting his anti-LGBTQ+ laws, which was viewed as homophobic.
Brady continued:
There are a lot of companies that are sensitive to LGBTQ+. They want to support Pride events. We look at, like, Citibank, TD Bank, and Well Fargo. They want their name in those parades. They want the banners. I just wouldn’t want us to lose any of those businesses because they deem the state to not be as friendly as it used to be
So, while the feud between Florida Gov Ron DeSantis and the Walt Disney Co rages on in Central Florida and around the country, it’s not just a theme Park at stake. The state’s tourism industry feels the effect of this feud and Florida lawmakers’ legislation. It doesn’t seem like this will end any time this year, so it remains to be seen the long-lasting effects this will have on Florida.
The state must now wait as this legal action continues in Federal Court, but more is at stake for them.
