2023-05-18 19:17:57
The head of the Disney group’s amusement parks has announced that it is abandoning the construction of the campus which was to accommodate employees near its famous park in Florida.
Disney, in the midst of a political battle with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, announced Thursday that the group was giving up building a nearly $900 million campus there that was to accommodate employees near its amusement park.
The group, which recently initiated significant cost reductions, mainly puts forward economic reasons.
“Given the significant changes that have taken place since the announcement of this project, including new management and changing economic conditions, we have decided not to proceed with construction of the campus,” writes Josh D’Amaro, the amusement parks in the group, in a memo addressed to employees and consulted by AFP.
Fortes tensions
But the decision comes against a backdrop of strong tensions with local authorities.
Ron DeSantis, a rising star of the American hard right, ended the company’s special status in his state in February.
Disney responded by filing a complaint, saying it was “targeted revenge” against the group for denouncing a bill in 2022 that restricted the teaching of subjects related to sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida elementary schools.
The company had announced in July 2021 its intention to ask employees to move to settle in Florida on a new campus, the cost of which, according to press reports, was estimated at the time at $ 864 million.
“It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but I believe it’s the right one,” Josh D’Amaro noted in the Thursday memo.
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