An appellate court granted Disney’s request for a two-month pause in a federal lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his appointees to Walt Disney World’s governing district after the two sides reached a settlement on separate litigation in state court.
Quick Read
- Legal Pause Granted: An appellate court approved Disney’s request to temporarily halt a federal lawsuit against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his appointees on Walt Disney World’s governing district following a settlement in related state court litigation.
- Settlement Background: Disney and the DeSantis-appointed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District reached a settlement last month in two Florida lawsuits, focusing on future development rights at Disney World.
- Federal Lawsuit Implications: The agreement includes a pause in Disney’s ongoing federal lawsuit appeal, allowing time for discussions on a new development agreement with the district, which provides essential municipal services at Disney World.
- Litigation Timeline: Initiated nearly two years ago, the legal battles began after DeSantis’ takeover of Disney World’s governing board in response to Disney’s criticism of Florida’s Don’t Say Gay law, leading to intense legal and public confrontations.
- Disney’s Free Speech Claims: Disney sued DeSantis and the new board members, alleging violations of its free speech rights due to its opposition to the controversial state law. A federal judge dismissed this lawsuit, but Disney has since appealed.
- Board Dynamics and Control: Prior to DeSantis’ intervention, Disney World’s governing board, composed of Disney allies, granted the company extensive control over the park’s design and construction. The DeSantis-led board challenged these agreements, seeking to void them and reclaim authority.
- Settlement Terms: The agreement reached nullifies the development deal and previous covenants that gave Disney control over design and construction, with the district agreeing to revert to a pre-DeSantis master plan for park operations.
The Associated Press has the story:
Disney to pause its fed. lawsuit against Florida Gov. as part of settlement deal
Newslooks- ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) —
An appellate court granted Disney’s request for a two-month pause in a federal lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his appointees to Walt Disney World’s governing district after the two sides reached a settlement on separate litigation in state court.
Disney’s request last Friday to the federal appellate court was motivated by last month’s settlement deal involving two Florida lawsuits between Disney and the DeSantis-appointed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. After DeSantis took over the theme park’s governing board, the company and the district began fighting in state court over how Disney World will be developed in the future.
As part of the settlement, Disney agreed to pause the separate federal lawsuit, which is being appealed, pending negotiations on a new development agreement with the DeSantis appointees. The district provides municipal services such as firefighting, planning and mosquito control, among other things, and was controlled by Disney supporters for most of its five decades until the DeSantis appointees took it over last year.
Disney had a deadline of next week to file an opening brief in its appeal to the federal Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, but that deadline is now set for mid-June.
The settlement deal halted almost two years of litigation that was sparked by DeSantis’ takeover of the district from Disney supporters following the company’s opposition to Florida’s so-called Don’t Say Gay law.
The 2022 law banned classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades and was championed by the Republican governor, who used Disney as a punching bag in speeches while running for president earlier this year. He has since dropped out of the race.
As punishment for Disney’s opposition to the controversial law, DeSantis took over the governing district through legislation passed by the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature and appointed a new board of supervisors. Disney sued DeSantis and his appointees, claiming the company’s free speech rights were violated for speaking out against the legislation. A federal judge dismissed that lawsuit in January, but Disney appealed.
Before it was filled with DeSantis appointees early last year, the board — then composed of Disney supporters — agreed to give Disney control of Disney World’s design and construction. The new DeSantis appointees claimed the “eleventh-hour deals” neutered their powers and the district sued the company in state court in Orlando to have the contracts voided.
Disney filed counterclaims and asked the state court to declare the agreements valid and enforceable.
Under the settlement, the development agreement and covenants giving Disney design and construction control would be considered null and void, and the new board agreed to operate under a master plan that had been in effect before DeSantis took over the district.
