The years-long conflict between Walt Disney and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been settled. The US media company and the Republican politician agreed on a 15-year deal that paves the way for investments of up to 17 billion US dollars in the Orlando resort.

Under the agreement, Disney plans to invest up to $17 billion in the further development of Walt Disney World over the next 10 to 20 years. The project includes the expansion of existing infrastructure as well as the construction of new attractions and hotels on the 24,000-hectare site.

The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, which oversees the land and infrastructure of the resort, unanimously approved the agreement. The board of this district was handpicked by Governor DeSantis.

In March, Disney ended its legal dispute with DeSantis over control of the land on which Disney World sits, giving the governor more influence over the company's activities in Florida. As part of the March settlement, Disney agreed to rescind a 30-year development plan that was hastily approved in 2023 to bypass the DeSantis-backed board.

Disney can now expand in the next 15 years and build new attractions as well as hotel properties on the resort grounds. Currently, Disney World consists of four theme parks and over two dozen resort hotels.

Brian Aungst Jr., a board member of the district, stated at the meeting on Wednesday that the agreement would ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for Florida. "Walt Disney World is inextricably woven into the fabric of the state of Florida, and the success of Walt Disney World is the success of Central Florida and vice versa," he said.

Both Disney and the Governor's office praised the agreement, emphasizing that it would boost Florida's economy. Jeff Vahle, President of Walt Disney World, said that the agreement paves the way for the expansion of the global destination and will offer guests even more unforgettable experiences. Bryan Griffin, a spokesperson for DeSantis, added that Disney and the State of Florida have worked well together under the new supervisory district structure. "This agreement is a big win for Central Florida and will lead to numerous jobs," he said.

The conflict between Disney and DeSantis began in early 2022 when the company, under pressure from LGBTQ employees and organizations, publicly opposed Florida's "Parental Rights in Education Bill," which prohibits the teaching of gender and sexuality in schools. This legislation, signed by DeSantis in March 2022, has been referred to by opponents as the "Don't Say Gay" bill.

In response to Disney's opposition, DeSantis attacked the company, calling it a "woke corporation" that does not address the concerns of families in Florida. Disney is one of the largest private employers in Florida with nearly 80,000 employees.

The conflict reached its peak last year when Florida's Republican-controlled legislature passed a law stripping Disney of authority over the Reedy Creek Improvement District, a specially established tax district that had given Disney extensive control over the administration of Walt Disney World's land and infrastructure since the late 1960s.

The legislature renamed the district and gave the governor sole authority to appoint its board of supervisors, which he stocked with political allies and donors. Some of them criticized Disney, saying the company had received special treatment for years that gave it unfair advantages in the tourism industry.

In January, a judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by Disney, which claimed that DeSantis and his allies unfairly treated the company because of its opposition to the law that restricts teaching about gender identity and sexual orientation.