The Board of Supervisors for the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, formerly known as Reedy Creek Improvement District, has hired Glen Gilzean as its new district administrator, with a salary of $400,000 per year.[0] Gilzean is an ally of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who appointed him to the Florida Commission on Ethics and as part of a working group tasked with reopening Florida during the Covid-19 pandemic.[1] Gilzean is currently the President and CEO of the Central Florida Urban League, an organization tasked with ending generational poverty and promoting equality.[1]
This controversial appointment comes amid a legal battle between DeSantis and Walt Disney World Resort, with Disney filing a federal lawsuit against DeSantis and his appointed board members, alleging retaliation by public officials for the company’s exercise of its First Amendment rights.[2] The battle began when Disney spoke out against DeSantis’s Parental Rights in Education Act, also known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, which prohibits discussion of sexual orientation in schools.[2] In response, the Governor introduced legislation to dissolve Reedy Creek, the self-governing district that oversees Disney’s properties in Central Florida.[3]
The new district administrator will be tasked with overseeing the district and managing its legal battle with Disney. The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District has also passed Resolution No.[4] 642, allowing for the creation of an enforcement citation program and the appointment of a special magistrate for appeals.[4] This program will allow enforcement officers to issue fines to all groups and legal entities within the district for violations of rules and regulations.[4] The fines will range from $75 to $500, and there will be the ability to assess a lien against a property when district fines are not paid.[5]
Gilzean has proposed a regional fiscal impact study to offset the burden that tourists have on resources throughout the community.[0] However, he has also been warned that he will likely become a defendant in the ongoing legal battle with Disney. Despite the controversy surrounding his appointment, Gilzean is expected to take on this new role and work towards managing the district and its legal challenges.
0. “DeSantis-appointed Disney oversight board to replace administrator” WESH 2 Orlando, 10 May. 2023, https://www.wesh.com/article/desantis-appointed-disney-board-administrator/43848885
1. “Disney’s government administrator will make $400,000 salary” Business Insider, 10 May. 2023, https://www.businessinsider.com/disneys-government-administrator-will-make-400000-salary-2023-5
2. “Disney World governing board hires new administrator with $400K salary” Florida Politics, 10 May. 2023, https://floridapolitics.com/archives/611178-disney-world-governing-board-hires-new-administrator-with-400k-salary/
3. “DeSantis-Backed Board Officially Takes Over Disney World Property” Inside the Magic, 10 May. 2023, https://insidethemagic.net/2023/05/desantis-disney-board-votes-enforcement-code-jc1/
4. “DeSantis’ CFTOD Board Passes Enforcement Citation Program Resolution to Issue Fines to ‘All Groups & Legal Entities …” WDW News Today, 10 May. 2023, https://wdwnt.com/2023/05/cftod-board-passes-enforcement-citation-program-resolution-to-issue-fines-to-all-groups-legal-entities-in-district-including-walt-disney-world-individuals-and-children/
5. “Central Florida Tourism Oversight District to Appoint DeSantis Ally as Administrator and Create Enforcement Code for …” DAPS MAGIC, 9 May. 2023, https://dapsmagic.com/2023/05/central-florida-tourism-oversight-district-to-appoint-desantis-ally-as-administrator-and-create-enforcement-code-for-enforcement-of-penalties/
