Why Disney Is Scrapping Its ‘Star Wars’ Hotel and $900 Million Florida Campus
Walt Disney Co. is reversing course on a nearly $900 million corporate campus and shutting down a costly new hotel amid a high-profile dispute with the governor. Disney has canceled its plan to build a corporate campus in Florida and is closing a new hotel nearby. Jacob Passy, a reporter covering the story for the journal, explains why Disney is backtracking on these major investments.
The Scrapped Corporate Campus
Disney had big plans to create an office campus in Lake Nona, Florida, near Walt Disney World Resort. The campus was set to house 2000 employees relocating from Southern California and span 2 million square feet across multiple buildings. However, the project has been halted, causing a ripple effect in both Disney and Florida.
– Disney reverses course on $900 million corporate campus
– The office campus in Lake Nona, Florida, planned for 2000 employees
– Project halted due to changing economic and business conditions
The Closure of Star Wars Hotel
The Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, often referred to as “The Star Wars Hotel,” is set to shut down at the end of September. This multi-day, multi-night experience allowed guests to immerse themselves in a Star Wars adventure. Despite its popularity, the hotel faced challenges, including high operating costs and tight profit margins. Disney cited changing conditions as the reason behind its closure.
– Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser shutting down in September
– Expensive to operate with limited room capacity
– Closure attributed to changing economic and business conditions
Disney vs. Governor Dispute
The closure of these projects comes amid a conflict between Disney and Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida. The dispute escalated after Disney criticized the state’s “Don’t Say Gay Bill” championed by DeSantis. This led to a series of legislative moves targeting Disney’s operations. Disney has filed a lawsuit, alleging retaliation against the company for exercising its First Amendment rights.
– Conflict between Disney and Governor DeSantis over legislation
– Lawsuit filed by Disney against Florida lawmakers
– Allegations of retaliation and violation of First Amendment rights
Impact on Florida
The scrapped projects were expected to bring high-paying jobs to Central Florida, with employees earning an average of $120,000 per year. The loss of these opportunities will have significant repercussions on local tax revenues and businesses that would have benefited from the influx of relocated workers. Disney’s commitment to invest $17 billion in Florida and create thousands of jobs remains uncertain in light of these developments.
– Potential economic impact of scrapped projects on Central Florida
– High-paying jobs lost due to project cancellations
– Uncertainty regarding Disney’s future investments in Florida
Hot Take
Despite grand plans and investments, Disney is facing setbacks in Florida due to the cancellation of a major corporate campus and the closure of a high-profile hotel. A conflict with the governor further complicates the situation, raising questions about the company’s future in the state.
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