The Judge in the Disney Lake Nona Lawsuit Has Recused Herself
Once upon a time, not so very long ago, The Walt Disney Company was set to build a massive new campus in Lake Nona, Florida, shifting the company’s center away from California to the East Coast.
The $1 billion headquarters was set to bring 2,000 jobs to Florida, many of which would be filled by Disney employees relocating from California. At the time, Cast Members had a decision to make — would they move across the country or leave Disney?
![Lake Nona](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/TS_7_N_PP-scaled-1-1600x867-1-1024x555.jpeg)
Photo: Central Florida Development Council
Eventually, a large number of Disney employees decided to uproot their lives and move to Florida, even buying homes and starting to plan their new lives.
The Lake Nona Project Was Eventually Cancelled
Unfortunately, the Lake Nona campus never came to fruition. While the new headquarters was expected to open in 2024, a series of COVID-related delays pushed that target back.
![Lake Nona](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Lake-Nona-2.jpg)
![Lake Nona](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Lake-Nona-2.jpg)
Photo: Tavistock Development Company
Then, Disney and the state of Florida began feuding over the company’s response to the state’s Parental Rights in Education bill (which critics dubbed “Don’t Say Gay). Soon, it was clear that Florida and Disney would not be doing business anytime soon.
When Bob Chapek was eventually ousted from Disney, and Bob Iger returned to the company, the Lake Nona project was canceled.
![Bob Iger](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/240403-Bob-Iger-ew-412p-5d1ef7.webp)
![Bob Iger](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/240403-Bob-Iger-ew-412p-5d1ef7.webp)
NBC News
Essentially, Disney chose to remain in California.
Disney Employees Sue Over Lake Nona
This decision to return to business as usual, however, did little for the hundreds of Cast Members who had already made life-changing decisions based on the assumption that Lake Nona was opening. Whether they had purchased homes in Florida or left the company altogether, irrevocable choices had been made.
![Lake Nona](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Lake-Nona-1024x683.jpg)
![Lake Nona](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Lake-Nona-1024x683.jpg)
Photo: Roberto Gonzalez
Disney’s decision to cancel Lake Nona and, its ramifications for Cast Members, are at the heart of a lawsuit from Vice President of Product Design Maria De La Cruz and Director of Product Design George Fong. They allege that Disney promised them affordable housing, good schools, and a new office, among other benefits, before pulling the rug out from underneath them.
Both Disney employees also allege that they gave up their California residencies in 2022 and bought homes in Orlando.
Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl Removes Herself
While their case will play out in Los Angeles Superior Court, Judge Carolyn B. Kuhl will not oversee it as initially expected.
Judge Kuhl has recused herself from the case as her daughter works for Disney. Taking the bench in her place will be Judge Larence P. Riff.
![Lake Nona campus](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Lake-Nona-campus.png)
![Lake Nona campus](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Lake-Nona-campus.png)
Photo: Lake Nona
With Judge Riff now in place, a status conference on the lawsuit will be held on September 20.
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