Now that the fight with DeSantis appointees has ended, Disney set to invest $17B in Florida parks

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Months after Disney and Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointees agreed to end a protracted legal fight, the two sides are set to approve an agreement that could result in the company investing $17 billion into its Florida resort and opens the door to a fifth major theme park at Walt Disney World.

The five DeSantis-appointed supervisors who oversee the Disney World district will vote Wednesday on a new development agreement that both sides had agreed to negotiate after a March settlement ended their state court lawsuits against each other.

The agreement between Disney and the Central Florida Tourism and Oversight District would last for the next 15 years. The district provides municipal services such as firefighting, planning and mosquito control, among other things. It was controlled by Disney supporters for most of its five decades until it was taken over by the DeSantis appointees last year.

Under the deal’s terms, during the next decade or two, Disney would be approved to build a fifth major theme park at Disney World and two more minor parks, such as water parks. The company could raise the number of hotel rooms on its property from almost 40,000 rooms to more than 53,000 rooms and increase the amount of retail and restaurant space by more than 20%. Disney would retain control of building heights due to its need to maintain an immersive environment.

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