LAKE BUENA VISTA — Gov. Ron DeSantis praised Disney World’s oversight district as a model of good government during a visit Thursday, marking nearly a year since he seized control of its board.
DeSantis and the Legislature transformed the Reedy Creek Improvement District as part of their battle with the Mouse, replacing five Disney loyalists on the board with Republican allies. DeSantis touted their work as a government reform success story.
“You now have a local government here with the district that is functioning in ways that are much more transparent, much more accountable, and ultimately much more beneficial to the people who live and work in Central Florida,” DeSantis said. “That is a win for not just the people in this region, but it is a win for the entire state of Florida.”
In response, critics said the new district has issues with cronyism, transparency and lacks local representation on its board.
Now called the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, DeSantis lauded his hand-picked board overseeing fire protection, planning and zoning and other government services for Disney World as performing better than their Disney-selected predecessors.
Board Chairman Martin Garcia blasted Reedy Creek as “arguably the most egregious example of corporate cronyism in the history of modern America.”
Under the old arrangement created in 1967, Disney effectively self-governed itself by electing the board members as the district’s largest landowner. Now, the governor appoints the board, subject to Senate confirmation.
“The new board … immediately took action to promote accountability, promote transparency, promote equal opportunity and to promote more prosperity for more people dealing with the district and working with the district,” Garcia said. “Instead of acting as a corporate subsidiary of Disney, our board now operates as an independent government agency for all of the citizens of the state of Florida.”
Garcia slammed the district’s previous leadership for providing Disney passes and perks to district employees and accused them of not properly reporting those benefits for tax purposes, racking up a $2.1 million liability. He said the district steered business to Disney’s preferred vendors and dodged impact fees to help with transportation and other needs in Central Florida.
Disney’s Reedy Creek blasted as ‘corporate cronyism’ in DeSantis district’s report
Now, the district is opening up district contracts to small businesses in Central Florida, providing opportunities that weren’t available in the past, while keeping taxes low, the governor’s supporters said.
But the new district’s detractors have accused the new leadership of having their own issues with cronyism, awarding no-bid contracts and jobs with lucrative salaries to conservative allies.
The district’s administrator Glen Gilzean, who earns a $400,000 annual salary, is a close DeSantis ally. The district turned to the politically plugged-in Cooper & Kirk for legal work. One of the firm’s partners is Adam Laxalt, a longtime friend of DeSantis who served as chairman of the Super PAC supporting his presidential run.
The district saw dozens of employees resign or retire after the state takeover. In exit surveys, some departing employees said they were leaving because of a politicized work environment and low morale. Gilzean disputed that assessment, saying morale had improved under his leadership.
Disney is also accusing the district of violating the public records law and failing to turn over government-related communications on personal devices.
State Sen. Linda Stewart, D-Orlando, who made a long-shot effort to undo the state takeover, said at minimum the board should include representation from local government. Only one of the district’s five board members lives in Central Florida.
“I don’t think there is any star you can put on anybody’s chest on how this has turned out,” she sad. “It’s a model of a Republican government. This should not be partisan. This should be good government — period.”
State Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, said she also sees a need to change how the board is selected.
“Any government structure appointed by one person or entity is not going to be a model of good government,” she said. “Based on his own logic, DeSantis replaced Disney with himself as the sole appointer.”
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Disney did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday.
The DeSantis-Disney feud started in 2022 after the company vowed to overturn what critics called the “don’t say gay” law, which limited classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity. As the dispute escalated, Disney sued DeSantis and state officials and accused them of engaging in political retaliation.
DeSantis won a significant victory last month when a judge dismissed the lawsuit. Disney is appealing. A separate lawsuit is pending in state court. In that lawsuit, the tourism oversight district is asking a judge to void agreements that limit its authority over development.
DeSantis and the new board leveled fair criticism of the old board’s lack of transparency and other issues, said Richard Foglesong, a Rollins College professor who has followed the district for decades and wrote the book “Married to the Mouse” on Disney World’s origin story.
But what was left unsaid was the district’s own issues with cronyism and also the lack of representation from Central Florida, including the business community that has a stake in Disney World’s success, he said.
“DeSantis said, ‘accountability, accountability, accountability,'” Foglesong said “The question is accountability to whom. This board is accountable to him.”
DeSantis delivered his assessment to a supportive crowd at the district’s administrative building. He steered clear of the Parental Rights in Education Law, the bill critics called “don’t say gay,” and vowed to continue his work ensuring transparency.
“Make Disney Great Again,” one of the spectators shouted as the crowd filed out of the room.
