Disney World to Lose Everything in Florida, DeSantis Ally Reveals

Walt Disney World Resort owns 30,000 acres of land and remains Florida’s largest taxpayer and employer. Tourism dollars are so valuable in the state that residents don’t need to pay income tax. Even so, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis poked the bear – or the Mouse – last year by dissolving the Reedy Creek Improvement District, a municipal legislative privilege that the Disney Park held since 1967.

DeSantis’s Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board, led by Martin Garcia, took power over the former Reedy Creek in February. At first, Disney tried to erase the district’s authority secretly. When DeSantis didn’t back down, the House of Mouse sued the Republican presidential candidate for taking over Reedy Creek as retaliation for former CEO Bob Chapek’s public statement against the “Don’t Say Gay” law. DeSantis countersued, resulting in an already months-long legal battle over potential court dates and unsuccessful dismissals on both sides.

Like his political ally, Garcia isn’t backing down from the fight against Walt Disney World Resort. As chairman of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board, he’s pushed against diversity programs, outlawed COVID-19 restrictions on Disney Resort property, and more.

Still, Garcia believes the board and, by extension, DeSantis haven’t damaged Walt Disney World Resort enough. In a recent Letter to the Editor of the Orlando Sentinel, Garcia argued that The Walt Disney Company still holds too much power in Central Florida.

“Last week, the new board of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District proposed providing economic relief to residents by cutting property tax rates — an action that would have been possible because of the elimination of government waste and abuse,” Garcia wrote. “The following day, however, the city councils of Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista surprisingly voted to raise property tax rates in order to continue paying the bills for security services used by Disney. The CFTOD board remains convinced that a multibillion-dollar corporation is more than able to cover this cost.”

“This peculiar, though not wholly unexpected, development makes it that much more apparent why the new CFTOD board is essential as an independent and honest broker,” he continued. “Until the new board was appointed, Disney enjoyed undue influence over many businesses in the district. It further unduly influences city council members, who rent their homes from Disney.”

Despite Garcia’s claim, many local business owners aren’t fans of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board. In an April meeting, Disney Springs entrepreneurs begged board members to reconsider voiding their agreement with the Reedy Creek board. It ultimately led to increased taxes for the non-Disney businesses, who weren’t part of the battle between DeSantis and Walt Disney World Resort.

Even so, Garcia promised not to back down.

“The CFTOD board recognizes that it is up against a corporate behemoth,” Garcia concluded. “But it will not be deterred from serving as a champion for all constituents in the district by finally bringing independence, fairness and transparency to the district.”

Is Walt Disney World Resort too influential in Central Florida? Share your thoughts with Inside the Magic in the comments.