Central Florida Tourism Oversight District

Central Florida Tourism Oversight District
Reedy Creek Improvement District
Improvement district
Official logo of Central Florida Tourism Oversight District
Logo used since 2023
Map showing the cities of Bay Lake (red) and Lake Buena Vista (green), and unincorporated land (purple)
Map showing the cities of Bay Lake (red) and Lake Buena Vista (green), and unincorporated land (purple)
CountryUnited States
StateFlorida
CountyOrange, Osceola
EstablishedMay 12, 1967
Government
 • TypeCouncil–administrator
 • Vice Chair of the BoardCharbel Barakat
 • Board of Supervisors
 • District AdministratorStephanie Kopelousos
Area
 • Total39.06 sq mi (101.2 km2)
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (EDT)
Area code(s)407, 689
Websitewww.oversightdistrict.org

The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD), formerly the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID), is the governing jurisdiction and special taxing district for the land of Walt Disney World Resort. It includes 39.06 sq mi (101.2 km2) within Orange and Osceola counties in Florida, encompassing the cities of Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista as well as unincorporated land. It acts with most of the same authority and responsibility as a county government.[1][2]

The current district was created on February 27, 2023, after the Florida Legislature passed House Bill 9B to supersede the Reedy Creek Improvement Act, passed in 1967 at the behest of Walt Disney and his namesake media company during the planning stages of Walt Disney World. A major selling point in lobbying the Florida government to establish the original RCID was Walt Disney's proposal of the "Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow" (EPCOT), a real planned community intended to serve as a testbed for new city-living innovations. However, the company eventually abandoned Walt Disney's concepts for the experimental city, primarily only building a resort similar to its other parks.

The Reedy Creek Improvement District managed by the Disney Company had the authority of a governmental body,[3] but was not subject to the constraints of a governmental body. That changed under the 2023 act, which gave the governor of Florida the authority to name its board members, replacing the original five-member Board of Supervisors controlled by the Walt Disney Company, the majority landowner of the District.

In April 2022, the Florida Legislature passed a law to disestablish the RCID and other special districts formed before November 5, 1968,[4] an act that some lawmakers said was retaliation for Disney's opposition to the controversial Parental Rights in Education Act, dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" bill by its critics.[5][6] The law would have taken effect in June 2023, but it was unclear what would happen to the $1 billion in bond liabilities held by the RCID.[7][8][9] On February 9 and 10, 2023, the state legislature voted to revert most of the changes, replace the RCID board's five Disney-selected members with five members appointed by the Governor with confirmation by the Florida State Senate, and remove parts of the district's authority, such as the power to construct a nuclear power plant, airport, and stadium.[2] The district's name was changed the day the bill was signed into law[10] by Governor Ron DeSantis on February 27, 2023.[11][12] On April 26, 2023, Disney filed a lawsuit against DeSantis.[13] Federal Judge Allen Winsor ruled in favor of DeSantis on January 31, 2024,[14] and Disney appealed to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.[14][15] On March 27, 2024, Disney settled its state court lawsuits with CFTOD and, per the agreement, put the appeal of their federal lawsuit on hold while the company negotiates a new development agreement with CFTOD.[16][17][18] The settlement came a day after DeSantis replaced two Disney critics on the CFTOD with two Disney supporters[19][20] and two weeks after The Parental Rights in Education Act was largely overturned by a court.[21][22]

  1. ^ "About". Reedy Creek Improvement District. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Petri, Alexandra E. (March 1, 2023). "What did Disney actually lose from its Florida battle with DeSantis?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference corpwatch was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "SB 4-C". Florida Senate. April 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  5. ^ Woodward, Alex (April 20, 2022). "How Florida residents could end up paying for the GOP's war with Disney over 'Don't Say Gay'". The Independent.
  6. ^ "Florida Senate Votes To End Walt Disney World's Reedy Creek Improvement District". CBS Miami. April 21, 2022.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference LC-20220426 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference BT-20220426 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference MH-20220427 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Barnes, Brooks (February 10, 2023). "DeSantis Declares Victory as Disney Is Stripped of Some 56-Year-Old Perks". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  12. ^ "Florida lawmakers greenlight DeSantis takeover of Disney's special tax district". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  13. ^ Cho, Winston (April 26, 2023). "Disney Sues Ron DeSantis Over Florida Special District". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  14. ^ a b Maddus, Gene (January 31, 2024). "Disney Loses First Amendment Fight With Ron DeSantis in Federal Court". Variety. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
  15. ^ Wile, Rob (February 1, 2024). "Disney files appeal after federal judge dismissed its lawsuit against DeSantis". NBC News. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  16. ^ "Disney Succumbs to Ron DeSantis in Fight Over Florida Tax District". The Wall Street Journal. March 27, 2024.
  17. ^ Schneider, Mike (March 27, 2024). "Settlement reached in lawsuit between Disney and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' allies". AP News. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  18. ^ "DeSantis Board Reaches Historic Agreement With Disney World, Lawsuit Tossed Out". March 27, 2024. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  19. ^ "Did Disney or DeSantis win their big fight? Yes". Tampa Bay Times. April 4, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  20. ^ "Settlement reached in lawsuit between Disney and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' allies". ABC News. March 27, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  21. ^ "Court overturns large part of Florida's so-called 'don't say gay' law". NPR. March 12, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  22. ^ "Florida settles lawsuit over LGBT education bill". BBC. March 12, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2024.