Disney: 1, Ron DeSantis: 0
Remember that story a few weeks about Florida governor Ron DeSantis stripping Disney of its de facto control over the 27,000 acres of land encompassing Walt Disney World, as political retribution for Disney’s public opposition to Florida’s anti-gay education legislation? The New York Times reports:
Over the past two months, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has
repeatedly declared victory in his yearlong effort to restrict the
autonomy of Disney World, the state’s largest employer.
“There’s a new sheriff in town,” he said numerous times, including
at a news conference last month on Disney property, hours before
appointing a new, handpicked oversight board.
Nobody seemed to have paid attention, however, to an important
detail: Disney had been simultaneously maneuvering to restrict the
governor’s effort. In early February — at a public meeting held
by the previous, Disney-controlled oversight board — the company
pushed through a development agreement that would limit the new
board’s power for decades to come.
And now, the governor’s appointees, having belatedly discovered
the action, are none too pleased. “It completely circumvents the
authority of the board to govern,” Brian Aungst Jr., a member of
the new council, said on Wednesday at the group’s second
meeting. “We’re going to have to deal with it and
correct it.”
The agreement is effective for perpetuity. It uses contractual
language known as a “royal lives” clause: “Shall continue in
effect until twenty one (21) years after the death of the last
survivor of the descendants of King Charles III, King of England
living as of the date of this declaration.” (The royal language
quickly spawned numerous internet memes, striking
people as odd in a matter involving a theme park that is home to
Cinderella’s castle.)
The people who run Disney are pretty smart, and Ron DeSantis seems pretty dumb, so I’m not surprised at how this turned out.
★
Remember that story a few weeks about Florida governor Ron DeSantis stripping Disney of its de facto control over the 27,000 acres of land encompassing Walt Disney World, as political retribution for Disney’s public opposition to Florida’s anti-gay education legislation? The New York Times reports:
Over the past two months, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has
repeatedly declared victory in his yearlong effort to restrict the
autonomy of Disney World, the state’s largest employer.
“There’s a new sheriff in town,” he said numerous times, including
at a news conference last month on Disney property, hours before
appointing a new, handpicked oversight board.
Nobody seemed to have paid attention, however, to an important
detail: Disney had been simultaneously maneuvering to restrict the
governor’s effort. In early February — at a public meeting held
by the previous, Disney-controlled oversight board — the company
pushed through a development agreement that would limit the new
board’s power for decades to come.
And now, the governor’s appointees, having belatedly discovered
the action, are none too pleased. “It completely circumvents the
authority of the board to govern,” Brian Aungst Jr., a member of
the new council, said on Wednesday at the group’s second
meeting. “We’re going to have to deal with it and
correct it.”
The agreement is effective for perpetuity. It uses contractual
language known as a “royal lives” clause: “Shall continue in
effect until twenty one (21) years after the death of the last
survivor of the descendants of King Charles III, King of England
living as of the date of this declaration.” (The royal language
quickly spawned numerous internet memes, striking
people as odd in a matter involving a theme park that is home to
Cinderella’s castle.)
The people who run Disney are pretty smart, and Ron DeSantis seems pretty dumb, so I’m not surprised at how this turned out.