Disney and the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, ended their legal dispute after reaching an agreement on the actions of the American entertainment company and the roles of the district in the next two decades.
After the lengthy negotiation process was completed, the company dismissed the lawsuit to put an end to the conflict and left several proposals on the table that benefit both parties.
According to AmericaTeVé's information, with the agreement, which will have a duration of 15 years, the group agreed to invest 17,000 million dollars in Disney World, while the DeSantis administration committed to making infrastructure improvements to the theme park property.
In addition, the district will be responsible for municipal services such as firefighters, mosquito planning and control, among others.
"This new development agreement paves the way for us to invest billions of dollars in the Walt Disney World Resort, supporting the growth of this global destination, boosting the economy of Florida, and enabling us to provide even more memorable and extraordinary experiences to our visitors," said Jeff Vahle, President of Walt Disney World Resort.
Likewise, Disney received approval to build a fifth large-scale theme park at Disney World, as well as two smaller-scale parks, including a water park if desired.
The company can also increase the number of hotel rooms on its property from almost 40,000 to over 53,000, and increase the amount of retail and restaurant space by over 20 percent.
Likewise, it will maintain control of the height of buildings, so that it can preserve a favorable environment.
In this way, the parties close another chapter of their disputes, as last February a U.S. judge dismissed the lawsuit filed by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts against the governor and his political allies.
The lawsuit, filed in April 2023, alleged that DeSantis was using his political power to punish Disney for exercising its right to freedom of speech and had even appointed a board to assess and raise taxes on the entertainment giant's properties in Florida, CNN reported.
However, it was ruled that Disney lacked standing to sue the politician and that the company's claims against the governor's oversight board were unfounded.
The court determined that Disney had not presented evidence of specific actions taken by the new board due to the alleged governor's control.
That decision marked a victory for DeSantis, who had previously signed a bill granting new powers over the 47-square-mile area that houses Walt Disney World Resort. In the end, both parties equally clarified their differences.
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