EPCOT the city might very well be ignored in the charter itself. But it was used extensively in the lobby to get the district established. A disingenuous act. Or, giving Disney the benefit of the doubt and presuming there was still intent to build a city, an act that should be reversed.
If given the choice between WDW of today or EPCOT the city, the Florida legislature of 1967 would have chosen the WDW of today
That's actually a very nice thought experiment.
For now, on quick intuition, I think you might be right. But I'm not sure. Fifty-five years is a long time, the world was different back then.
They may have not built what the concept art showed but I would argue they did build a city just not in the prototype style. WDW has all the elements of a similar sized community out in Bettendorf
It's hard because it's true Disney, or any corporation, shouldn't have this much power. I absolutely agree and think so. But the right thing can be being done for the wrong reason and, in the process, do more harm than good - both immediate, and as precedent. Disney should not be losing this because they used their First Amendment rights. You can't simply examine it materially outside of the political reasoning, as the reasons for it will have material effects going forward as well. It'll say: if a politician doesn't like something someone (like it or not- I sure don't- corporations are considered persons by the law) says, they can indirectly punish them for that in some other way with no backlash or checks. That sort of precedent-setting is as important in the executive branch as it is in courts or legislature - especially if the person behind it is eying the presidency.Yes we can.
I understand the politics behind this all, but that's for another day. I have long since felt that no private commercial enterprise needs this level of autonomy. Call me an old-fashioned socialist hardliner.
and would have again if the legislature had bothered to actually commission a study this time around.
What power is so untoward, particularly in the context of Florida?
There's just something... I don't know, unsettling about a corporation being able to essentially have a huge level of control for an area the size of a city, and sort of subtly manipulate the voters by only letting people who agree to vote the way they want them to live there. But I'm just suspicious of corporations in general, even those whose products or art I like. In the context of Florida, I guess I wasn't really aware there were a lot of other districts like this throughout the state until this topic. I will admit that perhaps my knowledge on it isn't as much as it should be, and if I've spoken out of turn, my bad.
The district may very well have lived up to the goals of its charter, but the charter did not live up to the goals for which it was passed.
Disney jumps through hoops to develop and operate their property the same as other places. Different hoops for different places but that was the point of RCID to streamline development and speed the flow of dollars into Florida. It is not a kingdom no matter what the advertising says so they don't have carte blanche....
I see. It always came across to me that the tradeoff was they could build or do whatever they wanted (within Florida law) in RCID in exchange for having to pay for the water treatment and other such upkeep of infrastructure. And obviously yeah they still have to file permits but the thing is, the group filing the permits is essentially also under control of the same group approving them. But, is that not actually the case?
I think you’re misunderstanding why the charter was passed
It is my understanding that the charter was presented by Disney as necessary to develop an experimental city with permanent residents. For tourism development - of which Florida back then posseded plenty - no autonomy of this scale is needed.
There's very little I disagree with. Thanks for the good read.
The things the corporation de facto controls are things like the sewers. Sure, it’s something the counties could control but is it worth the time and effort for the county to control such things? What do the local governments lose by letting The District have such powers? Part of the whole problem with this ordeal is the assumption that Disney has these vast, unusual powers, being described as a sort of Vatican that implies it is outside not just local but also state purview when it is not.
But if these powers are irrelevant, then why care either way? Just paint those sewers in rainbow colours
and let DeSantis take care of them from now on.
If you mean under state oversight then yes both OC and RCID are ultimately policed by the state.
