Disney’s Lake Nona project canceled due to dispute with Governor Ron DeSantis

disney Cancel a $1 billion project to move 2,000 jobs to central Florida in the midst of controversy and Governor Ron DeSantisHe passed several bills aimed at the company after the company opposed one of his signature policies.

Josh D’Amaro, who oversees Disney’s parks, sent an email to employees on Thursday. Lake Nona Town Center Development in Orlando, which had been put on hold and faced internal criticism, has been officially canceled and employees will not be relocated from California to Florida, he said.

“Given the significant changes that have taken place since the announcement of this project, including new leadership and a change in the management situation, we have decided not to proceed with the construction of the campus,” D’Amaro said. . According to the Los Angeles Times. “This was not an easy decision, but I believe it was the right one. As a result, we will no longer be asking employees to relocate.”

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The New York Times, citing two people briefed on Disney’s decision, reported: I have written “The company’s battle with Mr. DeSantis and his allies in the Florida legislature played a significant role in Disney’s decision to cancel the Lake Nona project,” it said.

DeSantis’ office suggested that market forces caused the cancellation of the Lake Nona project.

“Disney announced the potential for a Lake Nona campus about two years ago,” DeSantis public relations director Taryn Fenske said in a statement. “Nothing came out of this project, and the state was unsure if it would come to fruition. Given the company’s financial difficulties, declining market capitalization, and declining share price, it decided to restructure its operations. , it is not surprising that a failing enterprise is discontinued.”

The cancellation would be a major blow to the Central Florida economy. Jobs slated to move to Florida included a number of highly paid theme park designers, whom Disney calls Imagineers.

DeSantis has been feuding with Disney ever since Disney opposed “HB 1557,” officially known as “HB 1557.” Parental Rights in Education Law However, it was derided by critics as a “don’t say gay” bill. He called Congress into a special session, End Disney’s Autonomous Status And, in line with the company’s stance, it will take control of a special district in central Florida that manages Disney properties.

But shortly before the law took effect, Disney pushed through two contractual agreements Declaring development agreements and covenants would allow the company to avoid state oversight, prompting DeSantis to launch an Inspector General investigation and pass legislation to void those agreements. He also signed a bill that puts Disney’s monorail system under the control of state inspectors.

An oversight board appointed by Mr. DeSantis also passed a resolution revoking Disney’s action, prompting lawsuits from the company.

DeSantis sued in Disney lawsuit He led a “targeted government retaliation campaign” against the company. The company accused Mr. DeSantis of threatening its business and violating its constitutional rights, calling the government’s actions “clearly retaliatory, clearly anti-business and clearly unconstitutional.” and

The lawsuit alleges five different violations of Disney’s constitutional rights by Mr. DeSantis, including two counts of free speech violations, one count of property rights violations, one count of due process violations, and violation of contract clauses. .

Disney CEO Bob Iger has also been a vocal critic of the state’s actions against the company.

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“Does the country want us to invest more, hire more people and pay more taxes?” Iger said at an earnings call last week.

The company plans to invest $17 billion in Disney World over the next 10 years, which will create about 13,000 jobs, D’Amaro said in an email.

“I hope it can be done,” he said.