It's a response to a resolution passed by the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District to void an agreement that gave Disney control over development.Photo: AFP
The Walt Disney Company has escalated its battle with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, filing suit against the state.
The legal move comes in response to a resolution passed this morning (Wednesday) by the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District to void an agreement that gave Disney control over development in its special improvement district. DeSantis and Florida's Republican-controlled legislature had passed a law giving the governor control over the district's board of governors, but Disney had pre-empted the move a few days earlier by striking a deal giving it say-so over development within the district.
Disney argues that it is being singled out for its stance on the state's so-called "Don't Say Gay" law. Its complaint says that the legislation has been "orchestrated at every step by Governor DeSantis as punishment for Disney’s protected speech" and "now threatens Disney’s business operations, jeopardizes its economic future in the region, and violates its constitutional rights."
DeSantis and the state argue that Disney got special treatment in the first place, and they are simply forcing the company to play by the same rules as everyone else. (NBC News)