Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis warned Disney not to "pick a fight" with Gov. Ron DeSantis Tuesday on "Fox & Friends" as the governor fights to reassert control over the Reedy Creek Improvement District.
WAR OVER THE CORPORATE KINGDOM: DESANTIS' NEW BOARD SPARS FOR CONTROL WITH DISNEY
JIMMY PATRONIS: I think the governor was definitely flexing his muscles. There's a jurisdiction the state of Florida has. And if they've got state lands, and they decide to put a prison on it, that's in their jurisdiction to do it. And look, whether you're going to be dealing with Ron DeSantis for two years as governor or four years as governor, Disney should be working around the clock to go and make amends with Ron DeSantis. You don't want to pick a fight with this guy.
DeSantis said Monday the legislature will void a development agreement Disney made to invalidate the state's oversight of the area. DeSantis had signed a bill earlier this year, HB 9-B, that stripped Reedy Creek Improvement District of its self-governance privileges, giving oversight back to the state.
"Disney’s corporate kingdom is over — despite their repeated and futile attempts to circumvent the Legislature and the will of the people," DeSantis said.
DeSantis had appointed the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board to replace the Reedy Creek Improvement District, but the oversight board discovered the district had made development plans with Disney right before HB 9-B was enacted, giving control of the district’s development rights to Disney, Click Orlando reported.
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"People are like, ‘Well, there’s what should we do with this land?" said DeSantis at the press conference Monday. "Maybe create a state park, maybe try to do more amusement parks? Someone even said, ‘Maybe you need another state prison?’ Who knows? I just think that the possibilities are endless."
DeSantis said lawmakers could roll out the bill by as early as next week, according to the Orlando Sun Sentinel.
Fox News' Emma Colton contributed to this report.
