Years of fruitful relations between Disney, Florida at risk

By MIKE SCHNEIDER and CURT ANDERSON
Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The idea was presented to Florida lawmakers in a movie house outside Orlando 55 years ago: Let Disney form its own government and in exchange it would create a futuristic city of tomorrow. That city never materialized, but Walt Disney World became an economic juggernaut, and its government retained unprecedented powers in deciding what and how to build. Now, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is asking lawmakers to end Disney’s government in a move that jeopardizes the symbiotic relationship between the state and company. The move follows the company’s opposition to what critics have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law barring instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.