Walt Disney and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have now reportedly resolved their lengthy dispute as the media company has reached a 15-year agreement that will enable the resort’s ongoing expansion in the Orlando region.
Disney committed to investing up to $17 billion in the ongoing development of its Walt Disney World theme park and resort over the next 10 to 20 years as part of the agreement.
The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, which is responsible for the resort’s land and infrastructure, unanimously approved the agreement on Wednesday.
The Republican governor of Florida personally selected the district’s board.
In March, Disney resolved its legal dispute with DeSantis regarding the ownership of the land that serves as the site of Disney World, thereby granting the governor greater authority and influence over the company’s operations in Florida.
Disney promised to nullify a 30-year development plan that it had rushed through the approval process in 2023 in an attempt to circumvent the DeSantis-backed board as part of the March settlement.
Disney has been granted permission to construct new attractions and hotel properties on its 24,000-acre resort in the state for the next 15 years. The current configuration of Disney World includes more than two dozen resort hotels and four theme parks.
The confrontation reached its zenith last year when the Republican-controlled Florida legislature enacted a law that deprived Disney of its authority over the Reedy Creek Improvement District.
This tax entity, which was established in the late 1960s, was uniquely designed and had granted Disney extensive control over the governance of Walt Disney World’s land and infrastructure for over 50 years.
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