Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake met this last Wednesday to prepare for the end of a services agreement with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. This will lead to the district no longer providing most government services for these two communities. This transition will take place on January 16, 2024. The change comes as Governor Ron DeSantis’ picked Board of Directors for the district continues to move forward with its own plans for the district.
The previous Reedy Creek Improvement District oversaw the government services for both Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake. With only a few dozen people living in these communities, the operations were intertwined for decades. However, after the leaders appointed by Governor DeSantis took control, they cancelled the services agreement. This means that the two communities had to figure out their own services that include fire protection, accounting, and information technology.
The manager of the two cities, Randy Singh, says he believes that he has found ways to replace most of the services that were dropped. He is still working to finalize an agreement with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District that would include fire protection services. Police protection is already paid for by Lake Buena Vista and Bay Lake through a contract with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Singh told WESH 2 that residents and guests in the area will not notice any difference as the services agreement expires and the new systems get put in place. “No difference in terms of services, in terms of security, level of services will remain the same,” Singh said. Those that work for the cities will, however, have some changes. They are moving into a new office in a Disney-owned building.
The changes come as Disney and the new district (and Governor) continue to duel in two main court cases that could determine the future of the district. Disney has sued Governor DeSantis and other Florida leaders, including the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board, saying that the actions that led to the current status were a breach of its First Amendment rights. The district countersued Disney in state court. The decisions of these courts could determine the future of the district and who governs it. Some Florida legislators are also pushing a bill to repeal the law that dissolved the Reedy Creek Improvement District and replaced it with the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. This would return the district to its previous iteration, the Reedy Creek Improvement District. This bill is a very long shot to become law.
What do you think of this most recent update for the former Reedy Creek Improvement District? Do they seem fair? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
