Abstract
In 2022, the Florida legislature passed a bill that removed the administration of the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the special district governing the Walt Disney World Resort. The bill replaced it with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. Governor Ron DeSantis hailed this legislation as a success in reigning in a corporation operating with unchecked and unprecedented levels of governmental authority. Since its inception, however, the replacement administration has contended with claims of ethical violations, inefficiency, and unconstitutional enactment. Before the repeal of the Walt Disney World special district, special districts themselves were not often present in the Nation’s everyday thinking. But now that these recent events have shed more light on their existence and operation, many are asking questions about what they are and what they do. This Comment will explore the creation and subsequent repeal of the Reedy Creek Improvement District. It will also examine special districts in other states across the Nation to showcase a comparative analysis relating to the Walt Disney World special district. Finally, this Comment will ultimately argue that the Walt Disney World special district is rooted in national precedent and should be reinstated. Doing so will not only correct a legislative error but also strengthen the legitimacy of special districts in the United States.
Recommended Citation
J. Patrick Moll,
The Reedy Creek Improvement District: A Comparative Analysis Underscoring the Problems in Hampering Special Districts,
129
Dick. L. Rev.
779
(2025).
Available at:
https://ideas.dickinsonlaw.psu.edu/dlr/vol129/iss2/10
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