Latest on Reedy Creek, Tourism Board and Disney Developer Agreement

[mdmost]

I want to circle back to something that to me kind of tells everything you really need to know about this situation:



What exactly was it that these guys wanted so badly to control?

Disney's entertainment content. DeSantis expressly mentioned that at the signing ceremony at the Reedy Creek Fire Station. To make this the least political I can to keep this thread going, I'd imagine the board had designs to slowplay or curtail Disney plans if certain entertainment content was created or maintained by Disney that they found objectionable.

 

[Titanium]

I want to circle back to something that to me kind of tells everything you really need to know about this situation:



What exactly was it that these guys wanted so badly to control?

Exactly. It's an Improvement District and those are the Improvements. The clue was in the name.

 

[BrianL]

Aside from the Dinosaur ride at AK, time machines have yet to be invented, after all

Well, Spaceship Earth had a time machine way before Dinosaur!

 

[wabbott]

@Paul_Renner

Having played by its own rules for decades, @disney has doubled down to keep it that way, in an attempt to evade a newly created board that would bring public accountability similar to every other business. As a result, all legislative options are now back on the table.

1:13 PM · Apr 3, 2023 3,982 Views

https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sect...tails.aspx?MemberId=4619&LegislativeTermId=90

Paul Renner
Speaker (2022 - 2024)
District: 19 -- Republican

 

[Titanium]

I mentioned that there generally wasn't a tax break, but she does break down a single tax break, which was the ability to float municipal bonds to pay for capital improvements like roads. But I'm thinking that's not all that unusual for a developer to cede land to a governmental entity to take over. Housing developers do that all the time so that government will then maintain streets and parks, as well as operate public schools where the developer built the school. The alternative would be to have private roads like we see in master-planned communities or with golf-course living.

The quote from the University of Florida Law Prof at the end of the piece was interesting. The professor stated that these were fairly standard transfers of rights and that the agreement would likely hold up in court. It will be a long fight in the open now.

 

[Judique]

I think the perpetuity clause is some creative lawyer’s nod to their client’s imaginative whimsy. Why not tie it to a Californian princess…

They did tie it to a California Princess. Her name is Princess Lilibet of Sussex. Her title was bestowed not too long ago and she is 7th in line for the throne - at the moment.

https://www.royal.uk/succession?page=8

 

[tom1944]

@Paul_Renner

Having played by its own rules for decades, @disney has doubled down to keep it that way, in an attempt to evade a newly created board that would bring public accountability similar to every other business. As a result, all legislative options are now back on the table.

1:13 PM · Apr 3, 2023 3,982 Views

https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sect...tails.aspx?MemberId=4619&LegislativeTermId=90

Paul Renner
Speaker (2022 - 2024)
District: 19 -- Republican

The replies seem to overwhelming support Disney.

 

[wabbott]

The replies seem to overwhelming support Disney.

I'm afraid twitter users don't have a vote in the legislature. I'm going to post a famous quote from an iconic 80s movie, and hope it doesn't trigger another episode of name calling.

"A strange game. The only winning move is not to play."

 

[glamdring269]

Disney's entertainment content. DeSantis expressly mentioned that at the signing ceremony at the Reedy Creek Fire Station. To make this the least political I can to keep this thread going, I'd imagine the board had designs to slowplay or curtail Disney plans if certain entertainment content was created or maintained by Disney that they found objectionable.

I actually didn’t know that. Wow.

 

[glamdring269]

@Paul_Renner

Having played by its own rules for decades, @disney has doubled down to keep it that way, in an attempt to evade a newly created board that would bring public accountability similar to every other business. As a result, all legislative options are now back on the table.

1:13 PM · Apr 3, 2023 3,982 Views

https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sect...tails.aspx?MemberId=4619&LegislativeTermId=90

Paul Renner
Speaker (2022 - 2024)
District: 19 -- Republican

I’m still not clear on how Disney’s move evades accountability similar to every other business. What advantage do they have at this point vs Universal and Sea World or ‘every other business’?

 

[mdmost]

I actually didn’t know that. Wow.

“When you lose your way, you’ve got to have people that are going to tell you the truth,” DeSantis said. “So we hope they can get back on. But I think all of these board members very much would like to see the type of entertainment that all families can appreciate.

 

[john7994]

I’m still not clear on how Disney’s move evades accountability similar to every other business. What advantage do they have at this point vs Universal and Sea World or ‘every other business’?

I am still laughing at the honorable representative's statement ... because yeah ...

 

[Douglas Dubh]

I’m still not clear on how Disney’s move evades accountability similar to every other business. What advantage do they have at this point vs Universal and Sea World or ‘every other business’?

From an earlier post: “I mentioned that there generally wasn't a tax break, but she does break down a single tax break, which was the ability to float municipal bonds to pay for capital improvements like roads.”

Having the ability to issue public bonds for improvements is a big deal.

 

[john7994]

I'm afraid twitter users don't have a vote in the legislature. I'm going to post a famous quote from an iconic 80s movie, and hope it doesn't trigger another episode of name calling.

"A strange game. The only winning move is not to play."

Why would it trigger name calling? ... I like the movie quote game ... fun!​

“What's that smell in this room? Didn't you notice it, Brick? Didn't you notice a powerful and obnoxious odor of mendacity in this room? There ain't nothin' more powerful than the odor of mendacity..." (not related to the poster obviously, but to the original twitter post)​

—Big Daddy - Cat on a Hot Tin Roof​

 

[glamdring269]

From an earlier post: “I mentioned that there generally wasn't a tax break, but she does break down a single tax break, which was the ability to float municipal bonds to pay for capital improvements like roads.”

Having the ability to issue public bonds for improvements is a big deal.

This whole situation seems more about control and less about a concern over certain potential tax advantages. Just based upon the actions taken by the state thus far and certain comments made by reps and new board members.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

I'm afraid twitter users don't have a vote in the legislature. I'm going to post a famous quote from an iconic 80s movie, and hope it doesn't trigger another episode of name calling.

"A strange game. The only winning move is not to play."

I find this repeated assertion deeply puzzling. I know you object to Bob Chapek having made a statement about the original bill instead of just staying out of it. But once that was done, and once DeSantis chose to appoint his own allies to the board, which was retaliation that violated the company's first amendment rights and their rights to maintain their own private property, what was Disney supposed to do? Roll over? If the government had chosen simply to dissolve the RCID (and assume all the debt/tax liabilities that would have entailed) that would have been one thing, and possibly justifiable under the idea that no theme park company should have special treatment. But instead, DeSantis tried to have it both ways - the government would take no debt or tax liability while still attempting to control the business decisions of a privately owned corporation. That's not how American democracy works. That's not how any of this works.

 

[wabbott]

Why would it trigger name calling? ... I like the movie quote game ... fun!​

“What's that smell in this room? Didn't you notice it, Brick? Didn't you notice a powerful and obnoxious odor of mendacity in this room? There ain't nothin' more powerful than the odor of mendacity..." (not related to the poster obviously, but to the original twitter post)​

—Big Daddy - Cat on a Hot Tin Roof​

Great movie. Burl Ives was never better.

 

[wabbott]

I find this repeated assertion deeply puzzling. I know you object to Bob Chapek having made a statement about the original bill instead of just staying out of it. But once that was done, and once DeSantis chose to appoint his own allies to the board, which was retaliation that violated the company's first amendment rights and their rights to maintain their own private property, what was Disney supposed to do? Roll over? If the government had chosen simply to dissolve the RCID (and assume all the debt/tax liabilities that would have entailed) that would have been one thing, and possibly justifiable under the idea that no theme park company should have special treatment. But instead, DeSantis tried to have it both ways - the government would take no debt or tax liability while still attempting to control the business decisions of a privately owned corporation. That's not how American democracy works. That's not how any of this works.

Reality may work out differently, I'm afrais

 

[wabbott]

This whole situation seems more about control and less about a concern over certain potential tax advantages. Just based upon the actions taken by the state thus far and certain comments made by reps and new board members.

Human hubris may be in play here on both sides.

 

[john7994]

Great movie. Burl Ives was never better.

It was an Awesome movie, but I will accept Great