Disney Ends Fight With Governor DeSantis by Settling Florida Lawsuit

A board appointed by Ron DeSantis to oversee the municipal authority that governs Walt Disney Co. in Florida has voted to settle a state lawsuit against the company.

The board of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District unanimously approved a settlement offer made by Disney in a meeting Wednesday, putting an end to almost year-long legal battle between the Florida Governor and one of the state’s biggest employers.

Under the settlement, Disney will agree to revoke some of the changes that limited the powers of the municipal authority and were quietly approved before the DeSantis-appointed board took over. The changes had restricted the powers of the new board members, including their ability to review theme-park expansions and billboard advertising.

“We are pleased to put an end to all litigation pending in state court in Florida between Disney and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District,” Jeff Vahle, president of Walt Disney World Resort said in a statement. “This agreement opens a new chapter of constructive engagement with the new leadership of the district and serves the interests of all parties by enabling significant continued investment and the creation of thousands of direct and indirect jobs and economic opportunity in the state.”