DeSantis’ Disney board says predecessors stripped them of power

Members of the board appointed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to oversee Disney World said Wednesday they have been effectively rendered powerless after their predecessors quietly passed a restrictive development agreement just before the change of hands.

The board members said the previous Disney-controlled board signed an agreement with the company on Feb. 8, one day before state lawmakers voted to put DeSantis in charge of the Mouse House.

The agreement gave Disney maximum authority to develop the 27,000 acres (42 square miles) that make up the theme park for decades into the future.

The restrictive covenants came to light during the new board’s first meeting last month.

DeSantis had created the new board and ended Disney’s long-held self-governance in retaliation for the company publicly criticizing his “Don’t Say Gay” bill that bans discussion of sexual orientation in the lower grades in Florida public schools.

The prior board oversaw what was called the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which covered the Disney World resort — but under DeSantis, the district was renamed the Central Florida Tourism District.

The new district cannot use the name “Disney” or any characters like Mickey Mouse, symbols or intellectual property associated with the resort under the terms of the agreement, which remains in effect in perpetuity, according to the declaration.

Other terms allow Disney the right to build within the district without restrictions and the right to sell developmental rights to other landowners without the new board’s input or approval.

Disney can also sue for damages for any violations of the agreement, the prior board had ruled.

The board plans to take legal action to invalidate the agreement.

“We’re going to have to deal with it and correct it,” board member Brian Aungst said Wednesday. “It’s a subversion of the will of the voters and the Legislature and the governor. It completely circumvents the authority of this board to govern.”

But Disney said it followed all the rules when creating the agreement.

“All agreements signed between Disney and the District were appropriate, and were discussed and approved in open, noticed public forums in compliance with Florida’s Government in the Sunshine law,” the company said in a statement.

With Post wires