• Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed legislative action on Monday against Walt Disney World and the former Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID).
• A bill will be filed in the Florida legislature to revoke the legality and validity of development agreements made between Disney and the former RCID Board of Supervisors just before the state took administrative control of the district.
• DeSantis emphasized that the state will retain authority over the utilization of undeveloped land within the district and proposed privatizing the utility services of the district to improve operational efficiency.
• The new state-controlled Tourism Oversight District board notified the DeSantis administration that the outgoing Disney-controlled members signed a thirty-year agreement that allows Disney to retain major control over public lands, land-use agreements, and operational responsibilities.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced proposed legislative action on Monday against Walt Disney World and the former Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) to nullify the series of last-minute agreements that granted Disney more developmental oversight of the special district ahead of the state’s takeover.

Without specifying details of the forthcoming measure, DeSantis divulged that a bill preparing to be filed will revoke the legality and validity of the development agreements made between Disney and the former RCID Board of Supervisors just before the state took administrative control of the district.

I worked with both leaders of both the House and Senate,” said DeSantis. “There is a bill that will be put out in the Florida legislature that will make sure the agreements purported to be entered into by Disney are revoked and the people’s will is established and upheld. At the end of the day, we made the decision as a state, as a people, through the medium of our elections, that we would not have one corporation serving as its own government.”

The governor also proposed privatizing the utility services of the district to improve operational efficiency, along with the possibility of increasing compensation for first responders. DeSantis further emphasized that the state will retain authority over the utilization of undeveloped land within the district, quipping that the state could potentially convert such land into a new state prison.

“Come to think of it, people are like ‘What should we do with this land?'” Said DeSantis. “Maybe create a state park, maybe try to do more amusement parks, someone even said that we could use a new state prison.”

DeSantis signed legislation during a special session in February that strips Disney of control over RCID. The House Bill officially renames the district to the “Central Florida Tourism Oversight District,” and granted the governor the right to appoint members to the Board of Supervisors.

The new state-controlled Tourism Oversight District board notified the DeSantis administration earlier this month that the outgoing Disney-controlled members signed a thirty-year agreement that allows Disney to retain major control of the authority over public lands, land-use agreements, and various operational responsibilities.

The oversight group stated that it will employ outside legal counsel to examine the legality of the agreements. During a conference call immediately following the revelation, the DeSantis Administration stated that they view the contracts void as a matter of law and unable to be enforced. The administration also said that they were unaware of the agreements until the new board solicited all financials and documentation.