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

[el_super]

There's a difference between supporting your employees by paying them lip service and then actually supporting them by making sure actions don't put their jobs in danger by creating a hostile environment for the company they work at by the government of the state they work in which may lead to job losses.

This argument can very easily be flipped to the Florida Government as well: they shouldn't be risking the livelihoods of Floridians, putting jobs in danger, by creating an environment that is hostile to business.

I said earlier that I don't think this would go anywhere for a very simple fact: the only people any dissolution of RCID would hurt, are people living in Florida.

I'm not a fan of government giving handouts to corporations, and I've done my fair share of ranting on what Anaheim has given over to Disneyland, so at the core, I don't have any objections to examining what the RCID is and why it helps Disney, and whether it is still necessary for growth in Florida.

As was very evident in the committee hearing though, they have no idea what kind of impact this would have on Floridians and they don't seem to really care. That's just bad governing.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

It is relevant to the company that accepts money from China. If they are fine accepting money from a culture that has those flaws, this hiccup is not going to drastically keep such a company out of Florida. Be realistic.

You think people care about this a lot more than reality. Again, it was voted on 52 percent by the one people want to think is an opposing side as well, which is a fallacy.

I am sorry you are angry about it, and long before Iger, Disney as a business accepted money from other horrendous cultural moves long before China. China was not the only one. It is just the current easy example as it is where the majority of their profits come from.

You need to re-read what I wrote. I'm talking about businesses thinking twice about coming to FL because the incentives used to lure them there aren't worth squat when it is now known that any dissention will result in the loss of those incentives. Taking money from China has nothing to do with it. How many Democrats in FL voted for the bill that Disney opposed is irrelevant. If you think that free speech should only apply to popular opinions or opinions that you agree with then you don't understand what free speech is. If you don't think that, but you're still okay with what they're trying to do in FL then you should remember this the next time it works the opposite direction. I can assure you that my stance won't change.

 

[Dranth]

Remember when some politician once bragged about elections having consequences before ramming controversial legislations through?

The legislation will pass, the courts will uphold it against any challenges, and that will be the end of the story.

The best bet Disney can do right now, is come groveling back and beg for foregivness.

Why? Positions change, politicians come and go. Disney isn’t hurting in anyway from this and has no need to beg for anything. They’ve been through stuff like this before and will again.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Disneyland enjoys no such privileges and, I'd argue, offers a better experience.

Disney doesn't need self-governance to operate. It was a sweetheart deal right from the start, and it merits scrutiny no matter the pretext.

What specific aspects of the District merit scrutiny?

Lawmakers who voted for this legislation are on record saying that this is in retaliation for Disney's stated opinion.

How is this not retaliation?

Weird how “They’re not doing what they say they’re doing” is becoming a recurring defense. Even if true, it’s not a good thing. “I’m voting for Politician X because he doesn’t do what he says he will do!”

 

[monothingie]

Why? Positions change, politicians come and go. Disney isn’t hurting in anyway from this and has no need to beg for anything. They’ve been through stuff like this before and will again.

Disney loosing control of their ability to zone and develop land anyway they want is a major problem for them. They would now be beholden to people they can not directly control.

 

[el_super]

Disney loosing control of their ability to zone and develop land anyway they want is a major problem for them. They would now be beholden to people they can not directly control.

They can and Anaheim is the perfect example of this. They'd just have to spend more money on political favors.

 

[celluloid]

So if you think they should pull out of China because of your cultural views, do you also support Disney pulling out of Florida to uphold their cultural views?

My point is neither will happen. It was in response to someone thinking that Disney will have a memory of this and they and other major companies will have big exodus.

 

[Dranth]

Disney loosing control of their ability to zone and develop land anyway they want is a major problem for them. They would now be beholden to people they can not directly control.

Something they already deal with in CA and all their competitors deal with in FL. Just don’t think it will be that big of a deal overall.

 

[el_super]

My point is neither will happen. It was in response to someone thinking that Disney will have a memory of this and they and other major companies will have big exodus.

Exodus isn't likely, but so far no one really knows or understands what the impact of this would be.

 

[scottb411]

Orange County is reimbursing Universal $5 million for moving a wastewater pipeline that sits on the Epic Universe site and is also spending another $125 million on extending Kirkman Road to the new theme park:

Orlando's New Theme Park Is Officially Coming Thanks To Mayor's $5M Support

It's a go!

www.narcity.com

Orange County approves $125 million for road to Universal's Epic Universe

The Orange County (Florida) Commission has voted to approve funding of up to $125 million to help pay for the extension of Kirkman Road to Epic Universe.

blooloop.com

If Reedy Creek goes away and the county needs to spend more money for Disney and Universal transportation needs in the future, they'll just add add more to the hotel taxes if the taxes from Orange County residents dries up. Disney may be saying now not to throw them into the Briar Patch with removing their Reedy Creek privilege but would probably still come out ahead financially in the long run with the way that Orange County supports the theme parks over local county residents needs when it comes to spending.

Orange County Convention Center greenlights fancy new $605 million expansion

Details on the Orange County Convention Center’s $605 million expansion are now emerging. The bold design is from a joint venture between Populous and C.T....

www.orlandoweekly.com

It seems that Reedy Creek was setup for Walt's original vision for Epcot that will never come to fruition anyways.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Disney loosing control of their ability to zone and develop land anyway they want is a major problem for them. They would now be beholden to people they can not directly control.

How are the residents of Orange County influencing the development of the Universal Orlando Resort South Campus?

 

[monothingie]

Something they already deal with in CA and all their competitors deal with in FL. Just don’t think it will be that big of a deal overall.

So then why the collective outrage? Why should Disney a large multi-billion dollar company get special privileges?

Can you imagine if Exxon-Mobil or Monsanto got special legislation passed to give them a leg up on their competitors?

 

[TP2000]

The one that was interested in saving lives and not denying science. We have gone back to caveman times.

That type of statement has been rendered meaningless my two main things:

• The growing body of research that shows pro-lockdown states like California and New York had worse Covid outcomes adjusted for age (leading cause of Covid death, aside from obesity) than anti-lockdown states like Florida and Texas.
• The long list of pro-lockdown politicians from other states who repeatedly visited Florida during Covid to take their masks off and kick up their heels in freedom.

Final Report Card on State Responses to COVID-19 - Unleash Prosperity

COMMITTEE to UNLEASH PROSPERITY RELEASES FINAL REPORT CARD ON STATES’ RESPONSE TO COVID-19 Best Performers: Utah, Vermont, Nebraska, and Florida Worst Performers: New Jersey, New…

committeetounleashprosperity.com

 

[LAKid53]

My point is neither will happen. It was in response to someone thinking that Disney will have a memory of this and they and other major companies will have big exodus.

Companies will think twice about locating to Florida, trust me. This is sending a message that the government of the state isn't business friendly.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

Companies will think twice about locating to Florida, trust me. This is sending a message that the government of the state isn't business friendly.

#Truth.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

My point is neither will happen. It was in response to someone thinking that Disney will have a memory of this and they and other major companies will have big exodus.

Disney presently has plans to build a new corporate campus in Lake Nona and move a bunch of jobs from CA to FL. That directly benefits the FL economy and absolutely will be a consideration when Disney plans its response to the state government's actions. Why reward a state with jobs when it has proven to be unfriendly? I also never said other businesses will have a mass exodus. Read it again. I said that businesses that are currently in other states but considering moving (which is a very common thing) will be leery of FL because any promises made by the State to lure them to FL are now questionable at best. If FL is competing with other states for such a company's new headquarters, for example, then FL is now at a disadvantage because other states don't have a record of openly and proudly retaliating against companies for exercising their First Amendment rights.

 

[lazyboy97o]

It seems that Reedy Creek was setup for Walt's original vision for Epcot that will never come to fruition anyways.

Except that the creating legislation never really gets too much into urban design or development and is more about developing tourism. The unanimous Florida Supreme Court ruling on Florida v. Reedy Creek Improvement District also doesn’t mention EPCOT or any key city, but does look at the development of tourism.

 

[monothingie]

Companies will think twice about locating to Florida, trust me. This is sending a message that the government of the state isn't business friendly.

Yes, that's the case.... The record number of people and businesses who are flocking to Florida and other southern states to escape the malaise and filth in their home states are sending a message all right...

 

[LAKid53]

So then why the collective outrage? Why should Disney a large multi-billion dollar company get special privileges?

Can you imagine if Exxon-Mobil or Monsanto got special legislation passed to give them a leg up on their competitors?

That's not the sole reason RCID was created. The creation of the special district meant taxpayers didn't have to pay for the necessary infrastructure to build WDW, which was located in swamp land MILES from things like water & waste facilities.

 

[TP2000]

Companies will think twice about locating to Florida, trust me. This is sending a message that the government of the state isn't business friendly.

What other companies have Reedy Creek like self-governance? What potential companies are being offered Reedy Creek like self-governance if they move to or expand in Florida?

Does Universal Studios get that self-governance benefit? Sea World? Darden's corporate offices?