The former administrator for the Reedy Creek Improvement District has ended his employment with the now Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. John Classe, who was the administrator for the Reedy Creek Improvement District for seven years had stayed on as an advisor after the new district hired for the role in May.
In May when the new administrator Glen Gilzean Jr. was hired by the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, Classe was retained as an advisor through May 2024. This was to aid in the transition of his role to Gilzean. Today, a statement was released to the Orlando Sentinal saying, “Mr. Classe was offered a consulting contract to assist with the transition to the new leadership. That transition is now complete. The district thanks him for his service.”
Glen Gilzean Jr. is now the administrator of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. He is a close ally Governor Ron DeSantis, who also appointed all of the board members for the district in its new form. Both the Governor and the district board members are currently being sued by The Walt Disney Company for infringement of its first ammendment rights and also for the weaponization of government against Disney after it came out against the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill last year. Since this lawsuit was filed, the district has countersued Disney as well.
The departure of Classe marks one more tie that has been severed between the new district and the old one, and with it Disney. Classe’s contract forbid him for working for Disney while being employed by the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District and he also was to assist in its legal battle with Disney.
The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District replaced the Reedy Creek Improvement District earlier this year. Reedy Creek was dissolved by Governor DeSantis and the Florida legislature and then replaced with the new iteration during the ongoing feud with Disney. The district is the home for a bulk of Walt Disney World Resort. Depending on how the lawsuits end up working out, the future of this new district could be in limbo as well.
