Recent developments in the head-to-head battle between the entertainment giant and Florida’s governor include a new law giving the state unprecedented authority to inspect its monorail system, which Gov. Ron DeSantis challenged Monday against The amendment was added in a free speech lawsuit filed by Disney. , Disney World.
Disney’s amended complaint, filed in federal court in Tallahassee, updates developments since the entertainment giant sued the Disney World Precinct’s oversight board about two weeks ago, which includes DeSantis and newly appointed members of Gov. Were.
The new complaint refers to legislation passed last week by the Florida state legislature that would nullify an agreement reached earlier this year by Disney and a previous oversight board of Disney supporters and give the entertainment giant control over the design and construction of Disney World. The amended lawsuit also includes a new measure passed by Florida legislators last week that gives the state the right to inspect Disney World’s monorail system, previously done in-house.
Disney is the only company affected by the new measure, and “as Governor DeSantis intended and foresaw, it was designed to target only Disney,” the amended lawsuit states.
The Disney lawsuit asks a federal judge to vacate the governor’s takeover of theme park districts and the oversight board’s actions for violating the company’s freedom of speech.
Nearly a week after Disney filed suit, members of the Board of Overseers sued Disney last week in state court to retain control over Disney World’s construction and design. It claimed that the settlement between the company and the previous directors “smells like a backroom deal”.
Disney and DeSantis have been at loggerheads for more than a year, which has drawn criticism to the governor as he prepares to run for president, which is expected in the coming weeks.
The battle began last year when Disney publicly opposed a state law banning classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in lower grades after facing significant internal and external pressure.
As punishment, DeSantis took over the borough of Disney World through legislation passed by Florida legislators and appointed a new oversight board to oversee city services at the massive theme park and hotel. However, before the new board took over, the company entered into an agreement with a member of the former supervisory board to strip the new supervisor of powers over design and construction.
The creation of the Disney borough by the Florida State Legislature played a major role in the company’s decision to build near Orlando in the 1960s. The company informed the state at the time that it planned to build a city of the future that would include innovations in transportation systems and urban planning, so the company needed autonomy in deciding how to use the land and building. City of the Future never materialized and was instead replaced by another theme park that opened in 1982.