With deal done, Disney withdraws lawsuit, ending last conflict with DeSantis and his appointees

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Disney asked a federal appellate court to dismiss its lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday, a day after his appointees approved a deal with the company on how Walt Disney World will be developed over the next two decades, ending the last piece of conflict between the two sides.

The request came as little surprise because the federal lawsuit’s future was contingent on whether a development agreement could be reached between Disney and the DeSantis appointees to the board of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District that governs Disney World, according to a settlement reached in March.

The development deal was approved Wednesday night by the DeSantis appointees. Disney was facing a deadline next week to a file a brief with the court if it wanted to move ahead with the lawsuit against DeSantis and his appointees.

As part of the 15-year deal, Disney agreed to invest $17 billion into Disney World over the next two decades and the district committed to making infrastructure improvement on the theme park resort’s property. The district provides municipal services such as firefighting, planning and mosquito control, among other things, and was controlled by Disney supporters before last year’s takeover by the DeSantis appointees.

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