Disney World sued Ron DeSantis last month to retain its autonomy in Florida.
The company has been in a bitter, months-long feud with the governor of Florida.
But a top Disney expert said the company is in a sunshine state.
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Disney announced this week that it would abandon plans to build a nearly $1 billion corporate campus in the state, further escalating its ongoing feud with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
The behemoth and the 2024 presidential candidate have been locked in an increasingly heated battle for more than a year, but even as the animosity grows, Disney is practically stuck indefinitely in a sunshine state.
A leading Florida Disney World historian told an insider that the amusement park is tied to its Florida home base because of its high operating costs and sheer size.
Factories and other facilities are easy to move, but Walt Disney World’s sprawling 27,520-acre land of physical hotels, rides, stages, shops and restaurants is just too much, he said. The cost of building new infrastructure will be astronomical.
Theme parks and resorts are Florida’s biggest attractions, but there’s so much more to Florida. The autonomy privilege Disney enjoys (the one at issue in lawsuits) means that unlike rival theme parks, plans don’t have to be executed by zoning boards or building inspection departments, saving time and money. You can save money.
When Disney first moved to Florida in the 1960s, the state was not very enthusiastic about Disney and had trouble attracting businesses to Florida. The company knew it could demand a lot.
“That’s the perception on Disney’s part, and they wanted to get all the privileges up front and lock them in,” Foglesong said of the decades-old provision.
In addition, many small businesses in the area rely on Disney for the tourism it brings to the state. Small business owners in Disney’s neighborhoods expressed concern about the potential new taxes and tolls, a reality made clear at Wednesday’s board meeting.
Foglesong continued that Disney can’t even afford to cut its investment in Florida. In fact, Disney plans to spend $17 billion on the state over the next decade.
Foglesong said Disney did this because it needed to continually update its services given the following circumstances: 70% of visitors A return visitor to the theme park.
“It’s a compliment, but it’s also a threat, because how can we keep them coming back to see the same things? We have to have new rides and attractions,” he said. said.
Other Republicans blame DeSantis for his dedication to fighting Disney
Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has urged Walt Disney World to consider moving from Florida to South Carolina.
First Minister of Korea, Jon Lau, File, Patrick Semansky/AP Photo
Despite Disney’s permanent location, Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley last month suggested moving to South Carolina as a solution for Walt Disney World in the ongoing battle.
Haley, who served as governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017, said Palmetto’s elected representatives welcomed Disney’s business. He told Fox News that he would be “happy” to introduce them to the governor and Congress.
She then followed up on Twitter about her offer. “We have great weather, great people, and it’s always a great day in South Carolina! SC hasn’t woken up, but we don’t take it for granted,” she said.
Haley used the term “Sanctimonias” as a flimsy attack on DeSantis, in light of former President Donald Trump’s use of the nickname “Desanctimonias” for governors. The dig didn’t escape Never Back Down, the super PAC backing DeSantis’ presidential run.
“Embracing wake-up corporations while at the same time mimicking Trump’s clumsy attacks? Someone is working hard at the vice-presidential auditions!” The group wrote on Twitter:.
Haley’s comments come amid an escalating feud with DeSantis, with Disney suing to retain control of the land. The lawsuit opposes a school curriculum bill (HB 1557, the Parents’ Rights in Education Act, which detractors call the “Don’t Say You’re Gay” bill) that limits gender and sexual orientation. DeSantis retaliated against Disney after Disney announced that taught in public schools.
She is not the only presidential candidate to criticize Mr. DeSantis, who has yet to formally announce his candidacy. President Trump mocked DeSantis for colluding with Disney, and former Vice President Mike Pence, who will soon announce his decision on the 2024 presidential election, said the actions run counter to conservative values. criticized.
“We will not use the power of government to punish corporations,” said Republican presidential candidate and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson.
May 18, 2023: This article has been updated to include Disney’s plans to abandon its Florida corporate campus.
As the in-house writer for GallantCEO.com I prefer to remain anonymous as I do not seek anything from my writing only the self gratification of writing for a good cause such as this.
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