Bob Iger Fires Back At Ron DeSantis
After months of biting his tongue, Disney CEO Bob Iger finally lashed out at Ron DeSantis and the State of Florida.
At the company’s annual shareholder meeting today, Iger spoke out against DeSantis’ efforts to revoke Disney’s privileges in Florida, specifically with the dissolution of the Reedy Creek Improvement District.
“To seek to punish a company for the exercise of a constitutional right, that just seems really wrong to me,” Iger said.
A Very Public Battle
The turmoil between Disney and Florida began in 2022 when the company publicly opposed Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act. The company also announced that it would cease political donations in the state.
In response, DeSantis and Florida legislature moved to eliminate Disney’s autonomy over the land they own in and around Walt Disney World.
In February 2023, the state replaced the Disney-appointed Reedy Creek Improvement District with the Governor-appointed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.
While Disney initially stated that they would accept the new working agreement, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board soon learned that in the waning days of Reedy Creek, the district codified Disney’s autonomy over the land through a series of binding agreements.
Ron DeSantis has since asked the state’s Attorney General to look into any possible legal wrongdoings by Reedy Creek and Disney.
“Not Just Anti-Business, But It Sounds Anti-Florida”
During the annual meeting, Iger first pointed out the long and prosperous relationship between Disney and Florida.
He noted that the company employs 75,000 people in the state and will welcome 50 million visitors to Florida this year. He also teased that Disney planned to spend $17 billion additional dollars over the next decade.
He then turned his sights on Ron DeSantis’ recent legislation.
“These efforts simply to retaliate for a position the company took sounds not just anti-business, but it sounds anti-Florida,” Iger said.
While asserting Disney’s right to speak out, Iger also admitted he was sensitive to the criticism the company has received.
“Our primary mission needs to be to entertain … and to have a positive impact on the world,” he said. “I’m very serious about that. It should not be agenda-driven.”
While the battle between Florida and Disney will likely drag on, publicly speaking out against the governor, is certainly a new chapter in the conflict.
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