The Lawsuit Between the CFTOD and Disney Gets July Hearing Date
As Disney prepares to appeal a federal judge’s dismissal of its 1st Amendment lawsuit against Ron DeSantis, the battle between the company and the DeSantis-appointed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) continues to rage on in state court.
The CFTOD is suing Disney over last-minute binding agreements that the company made with Reedy Creek in the waning days of that entity’s existence.
Those agreements essentially gave Disney regulatory control over their Central Florida land in perpetuity.
Disney Has Accused the CFTOD of Dragging Their Feet
The two sides have been sparring over the CFTOD’s failure to provide documentation as part of the trial’s discovery process. The district, Disney says, has failed to produce communications about the Reedy Creek agreements that were written or received on CFTOD representatives’ personal devices.
“It’s enough to really get you to ask, ‘What is it they’re trying to hide here?” Disney attorney Stephen Brody said.
The Case Gets a July Hearing Date
The next chapter in the ongoing battle will be written on July 25. Then, a judge will determine whether the state court case should move forward or be adjudicated without the need for a full trial.
As the state court case continues, Disney is preparing to appeal Judge Allen Winsor’s dismissal of their federal case.
In his ruling, Judge Winsor sided with DeSantis, determining that Disney’s suit against the governor lacked standing. Perhaps more importantly, however, Judge Winsor also ruled that Disney’s suit against the CFTOD lacked merit.
Disney has vowed that the battle with DeSantis will not end with the dismissal.