Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) loves to say that if he becomes president, he’ll run the country much the way he runs the Sunshine State.
If that’s true, news today from the Walt Disney Company suggests the United States would be in a deep recession within six months of DeSantis taking the oath of office.
According to CNBC and The New York Times, Disney has scrapped plans to open a new employee campus in Lake Nona, Florida, a decision that will cost the state 2,000 jobs and over $1 billion in potential profits.
Citing “changing business conditions” and the return of CEO Bob Iger, Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney’s parks, experiences and products division, penned a memo to employees Thursday, announcing that the company will not move forward with construction of the campus and will no longer be asking more than 2,000 California-based employees to relocate to Florida.
“This was not an easy decision to make, but I believe it is the right one,” D’Amaro told employees.
The decision by Disney is the latest sparring between the company and DeSantis, who has targeted the multinational corporation simply because it dared to publicly disagree with his anti-LGBTQ law — “Don’t Say Gay” — that limits the discussion of gender identity or sexual orientation in Florida classrooms, even if the topic is raised by students.
Disney has also filed suit against the state for targeting its special Reedy Creek Improvement District, which allowed the company to operate virtually independent of any government intrusion.
DeSantis is expected to announce his bid for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination sometime next week.
