The Next Ron DeSantis-Disney Hearing Is Set For Friday
The next chapter in the ongoing battle between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Walt Disney Company will be written this Friday when an Orange County circuit judge hears arguments on a request by Disney to toss out a lawsuit filed by the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD).
Judge Margaret Schreiber will decide on a slew of legal issues as she considers whether to dismiss the lawsuit or at least put it on hold.
The CFTOD’s Case Against Disney
The genesis of the lawsuit began after Governor DeSantis dissolved Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, in favor of the governor-appointed CTFOD.
In the waning days of Reedy Creek’s existence, the special district entered into binding agreements with the Walt Disney Company that essentially gave Disney control over the land in perpetuity.
In their lawsuit, the CFTOD is seeking a ruling that the binding agreements are “null and void.”
Disney’s Motion to Dismiss
In an interesting argument, Disney argues that the Orange County lawsuit is moot because of a law passed in May that would eliminate the development agreements at the crux of the case.
“Dismissal is required here. This is an action (lawsuit) by a state board (the Central Florida Tourism Oversight Board) raising questions about the validity of contracts that are already void and unenforceable by unequivocal legislative fiat,” Disney lawyers wrote in a May 16 motion. “There is no order this court can issue that will affect that result.”
The CFTOD’s Rebuttal
CFTOD lawyers have scoffed at that argument. In no small part because Disney is currently contesting the constitutionality of the May law in federal court. The district’s lawyers wrote in a June 20 document that the motion to dismiss is “classic Imagineering, inviting the court (Schreiber) to make believe that reality is whatever Disney dreams up.”
“Disney first tells this (Orange County) court that Senate Bill 1604 is a valid law that moots the district’s claims,” the district’s attorneys wrote. “But to make this argument, Disney must hope that this court will ignore Disney’s claim in federal court that SB 1604 is unconstitutional.”
In an alternate argument, Disney has suggested that the Orange Country case be paused until the federal lawsuit. The Centeral Florida Tourism Oversight District lawyers however have objected to that possibility.
As always, continue to check back in with MickeyBlog. We will continue to update you on all the happenings in the ongoing battle between Ron DeSantis and the Walt Disney Company.
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