Aug. 2 (UPI) — Appointees of Gov. Ron DeSantis who now control Walt Disney World’s governing district have abolished diversity, equity and inclusion programs from the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.
It’s the latest turn in a battle between DeSantis and Disney stemming from differences over LGBTQ rights.
The oversight district’s action does not ban Disney’s internal company diversity programs, only Florida state government policies controlled by the district.
The district is funded by taxes paid by Disney and oversees the park, permitting, planning and services such as EMS, fire protection and road maintenance.
DeSantis’ chosen administrator for that district, Glenton Gilzean, called the diversity efforts “illegal and simply un-American” in a statement.
The DEI programs will be dissolved and any DEI job duties eliminated.
“Our district will no longer participate in any attempt to divide us by race or advance the notion that we are not created equal,” Gilzean’s statement said.
The end of DEI policies on the oversight district appear to end contracting that gave special consideration to women and minority-owned businesses.
After Disney criticized a Republican-backed law signed by DeSantis that banned discussion of LGBTQ topics in schools, DeSantis moved to take over the self-governing tax district, one that Disney had operated for decades since the inception of the theme park in Central Florida.
The Disney oversight committee formerly known as the Reedy Creek Development District was renamed the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.
Disney sued DeSantis in April, saying the governor had waged an unconstitutional “campaign to weaponize government power” against the company for using its First Amendment right to speak out politically.
In May, Disney pulled out of plans to build a massive new campus near Orlando that would have cost nearly a billion dollars and brought more than 2,000 high-paying jobs to the state.
Disney is one of Florida’s biggest employers, with 75,000 workers and more than $1.1 billion paid in state taxes in 2022.
