Home » US business news • US Employment News » Disney cancels $900 million Florida campus plans as row with Ron DeSantis continues
Disney cancels $900 million Florida campus plans as row with Ron DeSantis continues
https://www.whatjobs.com/news/usa/us-business-news/disney-cancels-900-million-florida-campus-plans-as-row-with-ron-desantis-continues
By Nithya Bose in US business news, posted May 19, 2023
Disney has scrapped opening a $900 million office park in Florida as the ongoing court battle with the state’s governor Ron DeSantis rumbles on.
The entertainment giant also canceled its highly anticipated Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser experience at Walt Disney World.
The planned corporate campus in Lake Nona, Orlando, has aimed to relocate over 2,000 employees from Disney's theme parks division.
Read More: Disney seeks lawsuit dismissal in ongoing feud with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis
Disney's head of Parks, Experiences and Products division, Josh D'Amaro, said in an email employees will no longer be asked to relocate from Southern California.
Those who have already moved to Florida will be given the option to return.
The company is having a fiery relationship with Florida's state lawmakers, particularly Gov. DeSantis.
Business conditions, such as significant job cuts and budget reductions at Disney, have also played a role in these decisions.
Read More: Disney expands lawsuit against Ron DeSantis
Disney is currently implementing a reduction in headcount by 7,000 and cutting $5.5 billion from content and administrative budgets.
The company is facing growing tensions with the state of Florida as Gov. DeSantis criticized Disney for publicly opposing a sex-education bill that he had proposed.
He then sought to take control of the Reedy Creek tax district, which grants Disney self-governance over its theme park and hotel areas.
Need Career Advice? Get employment skills advice at all levels of your career
Disney filed a lawsuit against the state in response.
In April, Disney announced its plans to invest $17 billion in Florida over the next decade, creating 13,000 new jobs.
During the company's annual meeting, former CEO Robert Iger criticized DeSantis' actions, describing them as "antibusiness" and "anti-Florida."
The cancellation of the Lake Nona project and the closure of the Star Wars attraction have disappointed local government and tourism officials in Orange County.
Follow us on YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
