Disney World’s Reedy Creek Improvement District has essentially functioned as its own county government for decades — but that could all change soon.
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After Disney condemned Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill (which has since become law and dubbed “Don’t Say Gay” by critics), the Florida legislature passed another law — one that would dissolve Reedy Creek in June of this year. Now that the new year is here, what does that mean for the dissolution of the Reedy Creek Improvement District? Here are the latest updates.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been at the helm of the dissolution of Reedy Creek since Disney condemned the Parental Rights in Education Bill. A group of Cental Florida residents had filed a lawsuit against DeSantis over the Reedy Creek dissolution. The suit was originally filed in Miami-Dade County (Case No. 2022-0099114-CA-01) and is currently pending.
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But, plaintiffs’ attorney William J. Sanches filed an “unopposed motion to change venue” on December 7th, 2022. The motion is requesting the case be relocated from Miami-Date County to Leon County, where Tallahassee is located.
Per the Orlando Business Journal, the December 7th motion read, “Plaintiffs have reviewed defendants’ motion to dismiss and agree to defendants’ request to change venue to Leon County, Florida.” It went on to say, “Plaintiffs have already indicated in their response to the defendant’s motion to dismiss that they do not waive any rights to challenge defendant’s motion to dismiss once venue has been changed to Leon County.”
Reedy Creek Trash Cans
The motion comes after a prior motion to dismiss dated August 19th, 2022 filed by DeSantis and other state officials in hopes to get the case tossed out. Ultimately, DeSantis failed.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ©Deadline
It looks like the lawsuit could be on its way to the state’s capital. It was originally filed in May 2022 and quickly dismissed by a judge, but it has since been filed again. The suit also names Florida Department of Revenue Director Jim Zingale and former Secretary of State Laurel M. Lee as defendants — we’ll keep an eye on updates regarding their involvement.
©Fox10 News | Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
The original lawsuit alleges the bill was passed to “punish Disney World and subsequently Florida taxpayers,” and request that the bill that would dissolve the RCID be declared unconstitutional. We’ll have to wait and see how that case will be resolved.
Be sure to stay tuned to DFB for the latest Disney news and updates on the Reedy Creek Improvement District.
“Chapek Screwed Up” — Learn More About the Latest with the Reedy Creek Improvement District Here
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The party of “free speech” using the levers of government and taxpayer dollars to punish a company for having an opinion is insane. As much as many of us don’t like him, Chapek has a right to free speech without government retaliation. It is unconstitutional.
Agree with the comments Aeryn. This is a free country with Free Speech. Everyone needs to read Amendment 1. If Amendment 1 fails, then a Totalitarian Party has been established. I don’t believe Disney should back down from its original statement.
So where is the plan and solution he has been talking about a year now? Seems like he pushed through the Dissolution of Disney World’s Reedy Creek District out of spite without a plan and not thinking about the end game and outcome.