Ron DeSantis takes control of Disney’s special borough in Florida

The law, passed in a special session of the Legislature, gives DeSantis the power to appoint all five board members of the former Reedy Creek Improvement District, subject to Senate approval. The legislation also removes some of the district’s sweeping powers but retains its commitment to approximately $1 billion in outstanding bonds.

The new board of directors will “ensure that the debt is properly serviced, maybe even expedite debt service,” DeSantis said at a news conference in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., part of the 38.5-square-mile (99.7-square-kilometer) property , where Disney is located Florida theme parks.

DeSantis, 44, says he’d like to see the special district dissolved altogether as long as there’s “no burden on taxpayers.”

The district was also renamed by law and is now called the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

DeSantis announced the composition of the new five-member board, which is expected to meet for the first time next week. The new chairman will be Martin Garcia, a Tampa-based businessman, he said.

DeSantis pushed for the new board structure after a row last year between Disney and the governor over the company’s criticism of a law it supported that restricted discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation in public schools.

“We want our kids to be able to enjoy entertainment without having an agenda imposed on them,” DeSantis said.

His feud with Disney is part of a larger strategy to bolster its national presence ahead of an expected presidential bid in 2024, which DeSantis has yet to announce. He’s launching a book this week and met with 150 donors in Palm Beach over the weekend while targeting what he derides as a so-called wake agenda that supports environmental, social and governance principles.