The application did not come as a big surprise because the future of the federal lawsuit depended on whether a development agreement could be reached between Disney and the officials appointed by DeSantis to the board of the Central Florida Tourism Development District, which governs Disney World, as per an agreement reached in March.
The development agreement was approved Wednesday night by the officials designated by DeSantis. Next week, Disney was supposed to file a record with the court if they wanted to proceed with the lawsuit against DeSantis and his appointed officials.
What is the agreement between Disney and DeSantis?
As part of the agreement, which will be valid for 15 years, Disney agreed to invest $17 billion in Disney World over the next two decades, and the district committed to making infrastructure improvements on the theme park property. The district provides municipal services such as firefighters, planning, and mosquito control, among other things, and was controlled by Disney supporters before the takeover by DeSantis-appointed officials last year.
"This new development agreement paves the way for us to invest billions of dollars in the Walt Disney World Resort, supporting the growth of this global destination, boosting the economy of Florida, and allowing us to provide even more memorable and extraordinary experiences to our visitors," said Jeff Vahle, President of Walt Disney World Resort.
Will there be a new park?
According to the terms of the agreement, it was approved that Disney would build a fifth large-scale theme park at Disney World, and two more minor parks, such as water parks, if desired. The company can also increase the number of hotel rooms on its property from almost 40,000 to over 53,000, and expand the retail and restaurant space by more than 20%. Disney will maintain control over the height of the buildings in order to preserve the immersive environment.