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

[lazyboy97o]

I am still not sure what advantages those are. Legitimately. Someone please spell out what one of these advantages is (that Disney would care at all about). What exactly about RCID gives Disney an advantage with no trade off that no one else could also do if they wanted?

If people want to point out the fact that Disney could build an airport next to the Mickey ear shaped cooling towers of their theoretical nuclear plant as some kind of business defining edge than strip that out. Disney nor anyone else would care in the least. That is not what is happening though.

Also, why aren't these same people up in arms over other kinds of "advantages". Where is the special, government appointed board to oversee Universal because they are splitting the cost with local tax payers for road work to get to their private theme park? Where is the fist shaking, the outrage, the mob messing their pants with glee over the possibility of taking it to Universal.

It doesn't exist because this isn't and never has been about "advantages". This is about punishing a business because they disagreed with someone politically. That’s it, nothing more and I just can’t be on board with that. Don’t want companies to have free speech then get rid of the laws that allow it.

I would suggest giving Married to the Mouse by Richard Foglesong a read about some of the advantages that Disney has enjoyed in the past. The biggest is that Disney is able to right size the District to its needs. If projects were getting held up by the building department because there wasn’t enough staff to review all of the projects in a timely manner, then Disney is able to get the District to hire more reviewers. There are also issues around the bonds that I would not be able to accurately articulate.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Has any court ruled? Has the US SC ruled on a case involving this issue? No. So we have our opinions on the constitutionality. Experts can look at past precedent and form educated opinions. But that’s it right now.

Do you think it should be illegal to hand out anti-war pamphlets? The Supreme Court once ruled that was okay.

 

[Andrew C]

Do you think it should be illegal to hand out anti-war pamphlets? The Supreme Court once ruled that was okay.

My opinion, morals, and values come into play when I vote. Or I could run for office. At the same time, we have to have some level of trust in the courts. Otherwise, we can’t function. They ultimately decide what is unconstitutional. That’s their role in our society.

 

[lazyboy97o]

My opinion, morals, and values come into play when I vote. Or I could run for office. At the same time, we have to have some level of trust in the courts. Otherwise, we can’t function. They ultimately decide what is unconstitutional. That’s their role in our society.

But those decisions are not static and permanent. We’re also not speculating about a lot of what is happening. Many of those involved have been very open about why they are acting and it is not a concern over land use in Central Florida.

 

[Dranth]

I would suggest giving Married to the Mouse by Richard Foglesong a read about some of the advantages that Disney has enjoyed in the past. The biggest is that Disney is able to right size the District to its needs. If projects were getting held up by the building department because there wasn’t enough staff to review all of the projects in a timely manner, then Disney is able to get the District to hire more reviewers. There are also issues around the bonds that I would not be able to accurately articulate.

Legit question, is that a power provided by RCID that other districts do not have or is it just that Disney can afford to bring on more staff as needed?

As for reading the book, it’s been on my list for a while now. I really need to just break down and do it.

 

[Andrew C]

But those decisions are not static and permanent. We’re also not speculating about a lot of what is happening. Many of those involved have been very open about why they are acting and it is not a concern over land use in Central Florida.

And I imagine that openness you mentioned is how, in part, you have formed an opinion that what the state has done/is doing is completely unconstitutional.

My opinion is a little more mixed. Depending on the final outcome, I could see it going either way. Disney would have to make the case based on the legislation passed. But I have a feeling it’s never going to get that far anyways.

Do the state’s actions sit well with me? No, not particularly. It gives me the “not right” feeling, putting my feelings about Disney aside.

 

[peter11435]

Exactly. If the new board simply dislikes the content that Disney is putting out— not even just the parks, but also on Disney Plus and in movies — I could see the DeSantis board refusing to approve anything for Disney out of pure spite.

Not to mention ABC News. Can’t publish a story critical of the administration without fear of retaliation

 

[Andrew C]

This is in contrast to Google, Twitter, or Facebook from determining what they want to allow on their platforms. They are private companies that can do whatever they want. There are no 1st amendment protections because it wasn’t written to protect you against companies.

Until those companies start acting on behalf of the government. Under pressure from the government.

 

[Tha Realest]

I agree that free speech without retaliation is a bedrock of democracy.

But what Disney uniquely enjoys with RCID is a corporatocracy.

 

[GoofGoof]

I agree that free speech without retaliation is a bedrock of democracy.

But what Disney uniquely enjoys with RCID is a corporatocracy.

There are 1,800+ special districts in the state. RCID is not that unique.

 

[Andrew C]

So you agree with my points about Florida pulling an authoritarian swing towards Disney, right, since you know, they’re explicitly going against the 1st amendment to punish Disney, or does that straw-man you pulled out completely nullify my major concerns with the actions of Florida going completely unfettered with millions of Americans?

It wasn’t a straw man. But it was off topic so I’ll end the point.

My opinion is a little more mixed. Depending on the final outcome, I could see it going either way. Disney would have to make the case based on the legislation passed. But I have a feeling it’s never going to get that far anyways.

Do the state’s actions sit well with me? No, not particularly. It gives me the “not right” feeling, putting my feelings about Disney aside

 

[Chi84]

I agree that free speech without retaliation is a bedrock of democracy.

But what Disney uniquely enjoys with RCID is a corporatocracy.

Well the Supreme Court has decided that corporations have the right to engage in political speech.

 

[Brian]

There are 1,800+ special districts in the state.

None of which are controlled by or exist for the near-exclusive benefit of a single multi-billion dollar international corporation.

 

[Andrew C]

Well the Supreme Court has decided that corporations have the right to engage in political speech.

Yeah. This precedent may come to be very important. Depending on where this all goes.

 

[Tha Realest]

There are 1,800+ special districts in the state. RCID is not that unique.

How many of those special districts have one single corporate owner which restricts who it permits to live within boundaries of said districts?

 

[Ghost93]

My opinion, morals, and values come into play when I vote. Or I could run for office. At the same time, we have to have some level of trust in the courts. Otherwise, we can’t function. They ultimately decide what is unconstitutional. That’s their role in our society.

Trust in the courts is at an all-time low.

 

[Bullseye1967]

I'm pretty sure I got a flintlock cap pistol in the POTC gift shop when I was a kid. It may have come from somewhere else, though.

You are remembering correctly. My brother and I both had one, and we would run around Ft. Wilderness "killing" everything in sight! The sold them at the campground and in Frontier Land.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Legit question, is that a power provided by RCID that other districts do not have or is it just that Disney can afford to bring on more staff as needed?

As for reading the book, it’s been on my list for a while now. I really need to just break down and do it.

It’s an indirect power that comes from Disney’s control because Disney doesn’t have to compete with other constituents. If the City of Orlando was short staffed Universal could lobby for more staff but could ultimately not prevail.

I would guess that Universal’s recently proposed community development district is all about gaining some control and special treatment from SunRail. While many are still focused on Brightline, SunRail offering transit for $2 - $3 per person is probably the bigger win for Universal. SunRail though is a rather Spartans service: stations are just open air platforms, ticketing is by self service kiosks, station staffing is minimal to non-existent and service is not consistent or offered on weekends. The new CDD could use its transit authority to build a station with amenities, subsidize service, contract for more frequent service, provide bus services through the district, etc. all to the clear advantage of Universal. Depending on the final boundaries of the district, Universal’s large land holding could definitely make them a major player in how this new district operates.

 

[Andrew C]

Trust in the courts is at an all-time low.

Yeah. Unfortunately the fault of the two other branches IMO.

 

[Dranth]

None of which are controlled by or exist for the near-exclusive benefit of a single multi-billion dollar international corporation.

I'm sorry but I don't buy this. NOTHING is stopping other companies from doing the same thing. There are laws to setup a special district and any one of them can do that anytime they want. They don't because they don't need to. None of them own a sprawling, city size complex that requires city level public works.