The ongoing battle between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Disney continues to wreak havoc on people across the political divide regarding hot-button issues such as LGBTQ+ rights, abortion, library book bans, and the policing of schools regarding sex education or gender identity.
In a Fox News appearance, DeSantis, who married his wife at Disney in 2009, said the company, which allows Pride events and encourages acceptance of individual gender identity, “has gone down the road of wanting to put sexualization into children’s programming.”
As the world watches the Republican presidential contender, protestors and non-profit organizations are fighting in courtrooms to overturn numerous laws DeSantis has enacted. But perhaps the true test of this far-right conservative in his home state may be the epic power struggle between the Governor’s push for regulating personal freedoms and the beloved, super-powerful world of Disney.
The newest weapon detonated in this surging political war shows that Disney is not afraid to flex its fiscal power upon the sunshine state. The war of words between DeSantis and Disney first led them to court and now has morphed into a decision by the largest entertainment company in the world to cancel a highly anticipated billion-dollar project in Florida.
In an announcement that rattled many, the company that gave life to Micky Mouse said it is pulling out of a $1 billion deal in Florida. The project would have brought over 2,000 jobs to the state and was touted as a magnificent addition to the jewel of Orlando since it would have relocated a massive California-based office complex to Florida.
With all eyes on the battle between DeSantis and Disney, it is worth noting that Disney has about $17 billion planned in future projects. But after pulling out of the first, $1 billion deal, the future is anything but certain for Disney and its relationship with Florida.
Governor DeSantis began squeezing the company’s legal tax loopholes which were established over fifty years ago in 1971. With numerous anti-gay laws now firmly in place under DeSantis’ right-wing rule, it is widely known that the governor does not support any LBGTQ+ rights or even the mention of gender issues anywhere in schools and public entities.
Disney has a long history of tolerance and acceptance of all LGBTQ+ people and hosts numerous, packed Pride events and more. Disney believes that DeSantis is targeting it for its acceptance and support of all sexual genders, and in March the company sued the governor and his allies, calling their treatment “a targeted campaign of government retaliation” based upon the political leaders going after the historic, legal financial agreements between the state and the company.
Disney’s Chief Executive Robert A. Iger asked about the intentions of DeSantis and the state regarding Disney.
“Does the state want us to invest more, employ more people, and pay more taxes, or not?” asked Iger, during a conference call with executives and analysts.
A few days later, Iger and the chairman of Disney’s theme park and consumer products, Josh D’Amaro, announced they were canceling the $1 billion planned project, scheduled to be located in Lake Nona Town Center. The loss of about 2,000 jobs, with an average salary of $120,000 per employee, and the impact upon local builders, homebuyers, home sellers and realtors, is significant.
Before the DeSantis and Disney feud, the company had publicly said that its upcoming projects, estimated to be worth about $23 billion, were a smart business choice because of the Florida tax crew that would allow the company to regain $570 million (over two decades) for the new projects. Only two years ago, when the massive Disney projects were approved, D’Amaro had said that it was extremely business-worthy to create these projects due to “Florida’s business-friendly climate.”
Last week, with the $1 billion project in Lake Nona canceled, the future of the remaining $17 billion in projects is supposedly still viable, but when they will get underway is unknown. D’Amaro said he is hopeful they will become a reality, perhaps in the next ten years.
“I remain optimistic about the direction of our Walt Disney World business,” D’Amaro said in a memo. “I hope we are able to do it.”
The powerful advantages Disney holds over the politically conservative DeSantis and allies’ regime is obvious. Governors can serve four-year terms. If elected president, DeSantis could serve at most two four-year terms.
But Micky Mouse…is forever.
