Earlier this yr, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis divested The Walt Disney Co. of its management over the Reedy Creek Enchancment District, an space overlaying the Walt Disney World Resort.
Now below state oversight, the district has been rebranded because the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) and managed by a newly appointed board. Two main shifts in coverage have arisen consequently — vital funds changes and the elimination of variety applications — which have drawn consideration and sparked debate each in Florida and throughout the nation.
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Fiscal Challenges And Litigation Prices
One of many board’s first acts was to suggest a discount of $3 million from the 2024 funds for highway upkeep and repairs within the park. The transfer comes at a time when the board is making ready for mounting authorized prices, anticipating hundreds of thousands in charges for its ongoing authorized standoff with Disney. The mix of decreased infrastructure funding and anticipated authorized bills signifies that the newly shaped CFTOD is grappling with a posh monetary panorama.
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The Demise Of Range Applications And Authorized Issues
One other vital coverage change is the board’s choice to dismantle all present Range, Fairness and Inclusion (DEI) applications. The board went as far as to label the initiatives “discriminatory,” “un-American” and an pointless monetary burden, with out specifying the alleged prices concerned.
Additional perception into this transfer got here from a report by the Orlando Enterprise Journal, which revealed that CFTOD’s authorized staff had expressed issues in regards to the legality of sure applications. Particularly, they questioned the Minority/Girls Enterprise Enterprise (M/WBE) and Deprived Enterprise Enterprise (DBE) contracting applications, arguing that they may expose the district to authorized liabilities. District Administrator Glen Gilzean formally introduced the adjustments, contending that the applications discriminated “primarily based on gender and race.”
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The ‘Do not Say Homosexual’ Invoice: The Spark That Ignited The Feud
The strain between DeSantis and Disney might be traced to the Parental Rights in Training Act (HB 1557), known as the “don’t say homosexual” invoice by opponents. The controversial laws has had far-reaching penalties. In response, DeSantis has made a number of stunning proposals, together with the development of a state jail adjoining to the Walt Disney World Resort and the imposition of a tax on company staying at Disney inns.
Earlier than the feud, the connection between DeSantis and The Walt Disney Co. had been largely impartial to optimistic. Disney’s position as a big employer and contributor to Florida’s economic system usually facilitated a cooperative relationship with state lawmakers.
Rebranding the Reedy Creek Enchancment District because the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District has led to notable coverage shifts, together with curbing infrastructure spending and eliminating variety initiatives, each of which have generated widespread curiosity and debate.
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This text DeSantis’s Relentless Retaliation Efforts To Destroy Disney Cuts Highway Upkeep, Ends Minority Applications And Floats Constructing A State Jail Close to Theme Parks initially appeared on Benzinga.com
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