Walt Disney cancels plans to move thousands of employees to new Florida campus

Walt Disney has abandoned plans to move thousands of California-based employees to a new campus in central Florida, according to an internal memo, at a time when disputes between the company and the state have spilled into the courts.

The entertainment conglomerate will no longer bring 2,000 workers to Lake Nona, on the southern outskirts of Orlando and about 30 km east of Walt Disney World, where it was building a 1.8 million-square-foot complex slated to open in 2026.

In a statement, Disney’s head of parks, Josh D’Amaro, said, “Given the many changes that have occurred since the announcement of this project, including new leadership and changing business conditions, we have decided not to move forward with construction of the complex.” ” Email to employees on Thursday.

Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek came up with the idea for the $900 million complex, and the relocation would have allowed the company to receive hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks.

D’Amaro said the company still plans to invest $17 billion in Florida and “create 13,000 jobs over the next ten years”.

The memo appeared to hint at a dispute between Disney and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis that began last year when Chapek said he opposed parental rights in Florida’s education law, a controversial piece of legislation that has been called ” Dot to Gay” Bill. Opponents.

D’Amaro said, “While some were excited about the new campus, I know that this decision and the circumstances surrounding it have been difficult for others.”

The company and the state are in a legal battle over DeSantis’ acquisition of Disney’s exclusive tax district in the area, formerly known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District.

Disney, which reinstated former chief executive Bob Iger in late 2022 after losses in its streaming business, is through with its plan to cut 7,000 employees across the company.