Disney canceled its plans for a new Florida campus for its employees worth roughly $1 billion in Orlando, according to an obtained email to employees.
The decision comes amidst a heated feud between the entertainment juggernaut and Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Disney Cancels $1 Billion Florida Campus
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL - JULY 11: A view of the Walt Disney World theme park entrance on July 11, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The theme park reopened despite a surge in new COVID-19 infections throughout Florida, including the central part of the state where Orlando is located.
Disney has decided to scrap its ambitious $1 billion Florida campus project in Lake Nona amid the conflict between the giant firm and the Republican governor, according to CNBC.
According to The New York Times, the theme park and consumer products chairman of Disney's theme park, Josh D'Amaro, emailed its employees to announce the abandonment of its plans to build an employee campus in the Sunshine State.
Amaro told the workforce that they are shelving their $1 billion investment due to the "changing business landscape" and the comeback of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Bob Iger.
Axios reports that the scrapped Disney campus in Lake Nona was supposed to open doors for roughly 2,000 workers in the state. The average salaries of these thousands of employees are at a cool $120,000.
The abandoned project should have relocated at least a thousand Disney workers from California to Florida.
The press secretary of DeSantis, Jeremy Defern, notes that the House of Mickey Mouse revealed its plans to build a Lake Nona Campus two years ago. However, he says it never turned into a reality. He adds, "Given the company's financial straits, falling market cap, and declining stock price, it is unsurprising that they would restructure their business operations and cancel unsuccessful ventures."
Meanwhile, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, a Democrat, reacted to the latest move of Disney, saying that the project's cancellation was "unfortunate." But despite that, he notes that "these are the consequences when there isn't an inclusive and collaborative work environment between the state of Florida and the business community."
Read Also: DeSantis vs. Disney: Battle Over Control of Orlando Properties Intensifies
Disney vs. DeSantis
NORTH CHARLESTON, SC - APRIL 19: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks to a crowd at the North Charleston Coliseum on April 19, 2023 in North Charleston, South Carolina. The Governor's appearance marks his first official visit to the "First in the South" presidential primary state amid mounting anticipation of his 2024 presidential candidacy.
The rising tension between the House of Mouse and DeSantis has been brewing for several months. It all started when the former CEO of the media conglomerate, Bob Chapek, opposed the Florida law, which prohibits the discussion of sexuality and gender identity in classrooms.
As a retaliation, DeSantis attempted to remove the self-governing power of the giant firm at the Walt Disney World in Orlando. The Republican government, set to run for the US presidency, says that "woke Disney'' should be stripped of special treatment.
Despite the cancellation of the Florida campus, D'Amaro remained optimistic for the Walt Disney World business."
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