In essence, the District was given wide zoning powers and the power to issue bonds in order to build roads and utilities and provide government services from planning and permitting to infrastructure and fire service. With a board composed of Disney employees, retirees, and Disney allies, the District was a captive of Disney and loyal to its interests. Not only did the District facilitate Disney's development, but it also discriminated against other property owners in the area so as to make them subservient to Disney.
By statute, the new board is little different in what it can do but is composed of DeSantis appointees instead of being a captive of Disney. If permitted to function normally, that would endanger Disney's iron grip over both its own property and that of nearby property owners. So, in its closing days, the Disney controlled board executed an agreement with Disney giving away its governmental powers to Disney.
That would be as if on the way out of office, Donald Trump had executed an agreement conferring the powers of the presidency on himself as former President and making Biden a figurehead. Trump could not do that and neither can Disney do the equivalent.
Why have a separate district and state appointed board?
I didn’t know that- but I hope everyone noticed that Disney (on its own) created the biggest tourist attraction in the world.
Imagine if they had to fight with the government for permission for every road they wanted to build
We’d still be waiting for the Castle to be complete.
This is a good example of what can be accomplished under CIVILIAN -vs- GOVT control.
Yep. Clearly illegal contract. A board meant to supervise can’t give its power away without a higher governance that made the board legal doing so.