NEWS: Special Session Date To Discuss Future of Disney's Reedy Creek District Confirmed

Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) has allowed the company to effectively act as its own government for over 50 years, but that could all be changing soon.

Reedy Creek Fire Marshal Sign in Disney World

A bill was signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis that seeks to dissolve RCID this summer, and a special session will be meeting next week. Here’s what we know.

Last week, we learned that a special legislative session might be meeting next week to discuss the future of Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District, and now we have an update.

©Reedy Creek

That special session has been confirmed for Monday, February 6th. According to the Orlando Sentinel, “the Florida Legislature will convene a special session Monday to consider a state takeover of Disney World’s Reedy Creek Improvement District.”

At this point, the new bill has not yet been filed, but Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has expressed his desire for the state to take control of Reedy Creek and “ensure that taxpayers are protected from paying the district’s debts.”

A bill is reportedly in the works to be filed in the Florida House of Representatives and “presented in Senate committees by Sen. Travis Hutson, R-Palm Coast.”

The Orlando Sentinel also reported that State Rep. Anna Eskamani believes “Disney struck a deal that will put the state in charge of Reedy Creek but will leave intact the corporate tax loopholes and other benefits the corporation receives under Florida law.”

Essentially, DeSantis could appoint his own people to “ensure Disney behaves,” said Eskamani.

Ron DeSantis During a Press Conference in 2020

That tracks with what we’ve seen DeSantis indicate he wants to accomplish with this new bill:

removing and revising powers of the District
increasing state oversight, accountability, and transparency of the District
revising the selection process, membership qualifications, and compensation for the governing body of the District
and more

It’s possible we could know more about the future of Reedy Creek as soon as Monday. We’ll be looking out for more updates from the special session, so stay tuned to AllEars for more.