News Reedy Creek Improvement District and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District

M

mmascari

Well-Known Member
Surferboy567 said:
How do these things typically go? I don’t imagine Disney is going to like a third party picking around.
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It looks like classic management consulting. The consultant comes in and asks lots of questions of everyone, documenting what they say is the as-is condition. They ask management what they want things to be as the to-be condition. Then, write up a recommendation on how to get from the as-is to the to-be.

In theory, they're supposed to present a report where the to-be includes "industry best practices" and other things that fit regulatory required activity along with whatever special sauce the consultant is supposed to bring from their vast knowledge of how businesses work and experiences they've seen across all organizations.

Stripes said:
I would not be surprised if this is an attempt to create some cover for more grifting opportunities.
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Unlike the theory, this is more likely the outcome. Management, the board in this case, knows what they want to do already. They're looking for a "neutral third party expert consultant" to provide justification for doing those things.

For anyone that has the prior experience to create that expert advice credential, it's a great job. Even better if you can hire cheap new college grads to do the actual interviews and grunt work for you.

At least, that's the classic management consulting process. The alternative approach is management understanding the as-is structure and having the leadership ability to set direction without requiring the "expert advice" cover.
 
mkt

mkt

Disney's Favorite Scumbag™
Premium Member
tissandtully

tissandtully

Well-Known Member
lazyboy97o said:
“Put another way, if a government actor’s controlling motivation behind an adverse action is gaining political benefit from punishing protected activity, the government actor flouts the First Amendment.”

A nice little sentence from the 11th Circuit today on another Florida matter.
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Yep, that particular case it was even ruled the government was out of line but the court had no process to make things right again. So what the government did stood.
 
C

Chip Chipperson

Well-Known Member
tissandtully said:
Yep, that particular case it was even ruled the government was out of line but the court had no process to make things right again. So what the government did stood.
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Actually, yesterday's ruling gave Warren a new trial to determine if the governor improperly focused on Warren's opposition to laws he had signed. The previous ruling is what said there was nothing that could be done because the governor likely would have suspended him for some other reason anyway. I'm not sure what those other reasons may have been, but assuming there were legitimately other reasons then that could be the difference between this case and the Disney/RCID case. The governor and legislators who created the bill admitted multiple times that Chapek's comments were the sole reason that they took action, with the governor admitting that he didn't even know what RCID was before. So here, the "some other reason" doesn't exist, and even that ruling was overturned in the other case.

apnews.com

Court sends case of prosecutor suspended by DeSantis back to trial judge over First Amendment issues

A Democratic Florida prosecutor suspended by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis will get another chance to show his political advocacy was protected by the First Amendment and could not be the basis for his removal.
apnews.com apnews.com
 
D

DCBaker

Premium Member
Chip Chipperson said:
Actually, yesterday's ruling gave Warren a new trial to determine if the governor improperly focused on Warren's opposition to laws he had signed. The previous ruling is what said there was nothing that could be done because the governor likely would have suspended him for some other reason anyway. I'm not sure what those other reasons may have been, but assuming there were legitimately other reasons then that could be the difference between this case and the Disney/RCID case. The governor and legislators who created the bill admitted multiple times that Chapek's comments were the sole reason that they took action, with the governor admitting that he didn't even know what RCID was before. So here, the "some other reason" doesn't exist, and even that ruling was overturned in the other case.

apnews.com

Court sends case of prosecutor suspended by DeSantis back to trial judge over First Amendment issues

A Democratic Florida prosecutor suspended by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis will get another chance to show his political advocacy was protected by the First Amendment and could not be the basis for his removal.
apnews.com apnews.com
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Disney has reportedly filed a copy of this decision in its lawsuit against DeSantis.

Here's the article from the Orlando Sentinel.

Disney’s lawyers think a court ruling boosting ousted Tampa prosecutor Andrew Warren’s bid to get his job back also will help their lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The entertainment giant’s legal team on Thursday filed a copy of Wednesday’s decision from the Atlanta-based 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing that the same First Amendment protections within it apply to the company’s lawsuit.

Both Disney and Warren, a Democrat, argue they were punished by DeSantis because of their political positions.

DeSantis suspended Warren in August 2022, citing statements Warren had signed opposing efforts to criminalize abortion and gender-transition treatments for children.

U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle largely agreed that DeSantis’ suspension violated Warren’s First Amendment rights, but he ruled he was powerless to give him his job back.

But a three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta said the judge could return Warren to office.

“DeSantis argues that even if Warren prevails on the merits of his claim, the district court lacks the authority to reinstate Warren. We reject this argument,” their decision reads. “The Eleventh Amendment permits federal courts to remedy First Amendment violations.”

Disney also is citing the First Amendment in its federal lawsuit against DeSantis and state officials. The suit alleges DeSantis targeted Disney because it opposed what critics called the “don’t say gay” law, which limits classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity.

After it took that position, DeSantis and his Republican allies overhauled a special district providing government services to Disney World, replacing five Disney loyalists on the board with five GOP supporters.

The two sides presented arguments last month to U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor.

Lawyers for DeSantis and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District argued the governor and the Legislature were on firm legal ground to retool a special district, calling the changes “standard, regulatory provisions.”

Disney’s lawyers countered that the move amounted to “as clear a case of retaliation against protected speech as the court will ever see.”

Jeremy Redfern, a DeSantis spokesman, said the ruling in the Warren case sets a “dangerous precedent” that could allow progressive prosecutors to ignore laws they don’t agree with.

Disney’s lawyers quoted part of a concurring opinion in the Warren case from Judge Kevin Newsom, who was nominated by former President Donald Trump.

“[F]or the same reason that the government can’t muzzle so-called ‘conservative’ speech under the guise of preventing on-campus ‘harassment’ … the state can’t exercise its coercive power to censor so-called ‘woke’ speech with which it disagrees,” his opinion read.

“The same values are at stake here,” Disney’s lawyers concluded.

Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell is also fighting to get her job back with advocates arguing in both federal court and the Florida Supreme Court that DeSantis suspended her for political reasons.
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www.orlandosentinel.com

Disney cites Andrew Warren decision in lawsuit against DeSantis

Disney’s lawyers think a court ruling boosting ousted ex-Tampa prosecutor Andrew Warren’s bid to get his job back will also help their lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis.
www.orlandosentinel.com www.orlandosentinel.com
 
mkt

mkt

Disney's Favorite Scumbag™
Premium Member
I

Isamar

Well-Known Member
DCBaker said:
Disney has reportedly filed a copy of this decision in its lawsuit against DeSantis.

Here's the article from the Orlando Sentinel.



www.orlandosentinel.com

Disney cites Andrew Warren decision in lawsuit against DeSantis

Disney’s lawyers think a court ruling boosting ousted ex-Tampa prosecutor Andrew Warren’s bid to get his job back will also help their lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis.
www.orlandosentinel.com www.orlandosentinel.com
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Here’s Disney’s filing, with the 11th circuit’s Warren decision attached. (I don’t see it on CourtListener yet but when I do I’ll post a link to that too.) The Warren decision is worth reading.



And here’s a Slate article about that decision:

slate.com

Trump Judge Spanks Ron DeSantis for Retaliating Against a Democratic Rival

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis faced a sharp, surprising rebuke from a conservative appeals court on Wednesday.
slate.com slate.com
 
D

DCBaker

Premium Member
Isamar said:
Does anyone have a link to this one without a paywall?

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Here's the article.

The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District request for operational assessment proposals has its first bidder. AhVanguard LLC of St. Petersburg has thrown its hat in the ring to be the prime contractor on a project that could transform the way Walt Disney World does business in Florida.

The oversight district is seeking a contractor who, once selected, will be tasked with operational assessments and developing “a prioritized list of reform strategies with associated action plans for implementation.” Bids are due Jan. 18 at 2 p.m.

All bidders will be posted on the eBid website.

President Michelle Holguin said her company’s co-founder, Brandon Huskins, is particularly well-versed in the Orlando market.

“[His] journey includes significant contributions to renowned brands and iconic locations. He played an integral role in Levy Restaurants, contributing to high-profile events such as Orlando Magic games, Orlando Convention Center's home, surf, and boat shows, and the Shiner's Game at Camping World Stadium,” she said.

AhVanguard was established in 2016 by Holguin and Huskins. The full-service agency specializes in small business development and transformation. Since its founding, the firm has built a roster of clients including Premier 1 Dental Laboratory, Riviera Bay, Churchill Stateside Group, Floridian Social Club, Quadrum Fitness and others.

Holguin said AhVanguard also has a proven track record of conducting operational assessments and providing strategic recommendations for government agencies.

“We worked with Pinellas County on local mayoral races, crafting effective marketing strategies that highlighted candidates' strengths in addressing community concerns. Our commitment to building safe, high-quality communities through neighborhood associations aligns with CFTOD's objectives,” she said.

The recently opened bid opportunity — published Dec. 27 — revived interest in a month-old report developed by the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. Entitled “Report on Past Practices of the Reedy Creek Improvement District,” it covers similar territory to the scope of the new bid opportunity: a detailed scrutiny of Disney’s Central Florida operations. The board of supervisors turned in the report almost three months early. It was required to fulfill a mandate included in Florida legislation passed last Feb. 27.

The report characterizes Disney’s relationship with the former Reedy Creek Improvement District as entrenched and problematic, beginning with the following description of the origins of the district.

"Using shell companies to avoid valuation spikes, the company began buying up property. Then in earnest in 1966, it started petitioning the Florida Legislature to create a public corporation that would oversee the amassed tracts of land. Walt Disney passed away toward the end of the year, but Roy Disney immediately took over, determined to realize his older brother’s vision. On May 12, 1967, with the enactment of the Reedy Creek Improvement Act, he triumphed."

Disney representatives responded with this statement: “This report is an exercise in revisionist history,” going on to say the report wasn’t credible, that it was wasteful and that it has the potential to derail investment within the district. The Orlando Sentinel reported Dec. 13 that as much as $360,000 was spent on contractors who contributed to the report.

The contributors are:
  • Donald J. Kochan, professor of law at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia
  • William Jennings, senior director at Delta Consulting Group of Woodbridge, Virginia
  • Kimley-Horn, an engineering, planning and design consulting firm based in Raleigh, North Carolina
  • Public Resources Advisory Group headquartered in New York City
  • Raftelis, a government and utility management consulting group based in Maitland
As stated in the published bid opportunity, the district reserves the right to cancel the request for proposals, but should the selection process move forward as planned, the chosen bidder will be the sixth in recent months paid by the district to produce analytical documents about Disney’s relationship with Reedy Creek.
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