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Last year, Walt Disney Imagineering announced it would officially move its iconic headquarters from Anaheim, California, to Lake Nona, Florida, located right near the Orlando International Airport and nearby the Disney Parks. Over 2,000 jobs will reportedly move to what Disney describes as a master-planned working community.
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Since that official announcement, fans have questioned whether the move was still on. Some Imagineers left the company following the announcement, not wanting to relocate their families from California to Florida. As of now, the relocation has been delayed until 2026.
With the swift arrival of Bob Iger back at the head of The Walt Disney Company, many concluded the entire move was canceled. However, it seems like the project is still moving forward at this time.
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Disney recently held an event called “The Future of Lake Nona” in Orlando, with Jessi Blakely making a few comments “There are a lot of exciting announcements that I cannot break today, but are imminent; even in the next coming months. I would say, in the short-term future, things are moving along with Disney very well,” said Blakely, who serves as Vice President of the Tavistock Development Company.
“I do expect that there will be news in the coming months and year around that project. It’s a 60-acre regional campus that they’re creating. They were approved to build 1.8 million square feet of development, so hopefully you’ll hear more about what their development plans are for that property.”
The full clip can be found below:
Orlando Sentinel reported in July of 2021 that Disney could receive over $570 million in tax breaks from the state of Florida for building the campus and cited this as a significant reason for the move. This tax break would be among the largest for a major American corporation.
Lake Nona is an up-and-coming area in Orlando that is close to the theme parks, and this change will only continue to increase the Florida economy, which has been doing well due to the housing demand the state has seen throughout the pandemic. It is also one of the more expensive areas to live in when it comes to Orlando locations.
What are your thoughts on the upcoming project?