A newly obtained memo shows that Florida’s Chief Inspector General found that the former Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) Board of Supervisors broke no criminal laws prior to Ron DeSantis’ takeover in early 2023. Florida’s Chief Inspector General quietly closed the review and didn’t make any recommendations. The memo also says that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) closed its case against the former RCID “due to a lack of a criminal predicate”. In short, there was nothing criminal about the activities of the former RCID.
Reedy Creek Improvement District Broke No Laws
As you may remember, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis launched a very public takeover of the former Reedy Creek Improvement District as punishment for Disney’s public statements about the “Don’t Say Gay” bill and then law. DeSantis was unhappy that Disney took a stand against him and then he leveraged his government against Disney to take over the Reedy Creek Improvement District – a local taxing district established more than a half-century ago to aid in the development and operations of Walt Disney World. Disney CEO Bob Iger called DeSantis’ actions retaliatory.
DeSantis not only aimed to completely dismantle the District, something he later learned he wasn’t going to be able to do, but also to install his own Board of Supervisors to watch over Walt Disney World development for the foreseeable future. In the early days of the takeover, DeSantis threw out ludicrous ideas such as building a state prison next to Walt Disney World or even allowing rival theme parks to build right on Disney’s doorstep. The message was clear from DeSantis – Disney was going to play by his rules and behave according to his wishes. At least, as long as the public fight was useful for the Governor.
DeSantis also launched a criminal investigation into the former Reedy Creek Improvement District – a memo from which was obtained by News 6. The newly unearthed memo shows that there was no criminal wrongdoing from the former RCID. The investigation was quietly closed back in June 2024 after DeSantis’ investigator found no criminal wrongdoing.
The memo did point to a Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD) report that said that there was a “blurring of the lines” between the RCID and Walt Disney World. That said, DeSantis’ investigator said that there was no further investigative activity warranted following a review of the documents it looked through, and a settlement that Disney reached with the new CFTOD.
Speaking of the settlement, Disney and the CFTOD agreed to a settlement that saw ongoing lawsuits dropped back in March 2024. There was also a shakeup of CFTOD Board leadership that saw the removal of the Chair of the Board of Supervisors and a new District Administrator. While it wasn’t outlined in black and white in the settlement, it was clear that a relationship reset was also part of the agreement. It’s also clear that DeSantis saw little reason to fight with Disney after his presidential hopes were dashed for this election cycle.
Since the settlement was reached, it has generally been smooth sailing at the District from the outside looking in.
The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District staff are currently working with Disney to create a new Comprehensive Plan that will establish the long-term planning and expansion possibilities for Walt Disney World over the next decade. That plan will continue to be worked on and adjusted in the first half of 2025, with a full plan expected to be finalized in the second half of 2025.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!
