Ft.Bend County judge invites DISNEY to consider building new resort in Ft. Bend (income, property tax)

[houston-nomad]

Given how DeSantis and Abbott are competing for the Wingnut Governor award, I can't imagine Disney would consider coming to Texas while Abbott is still in charge. They've just experienced firsthand how far a Republican governor will go against a private company to get their base frothing. Why put yourself in that position again?

This is not happening.

[SanJac]

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

Seriously. Who would want to go stand in line at a theme park in July in the Sunbelt? Not to mention all metal parts on rides must get insanely hot to the touch.

However, the current rumor has been that Disney is looking near Jarrell, north of Georgetown. Just relating what I've heard...

This makes sense...if anywhere I would think San Antonio is the "tourist magnet" for Texas and it is family-oriented...

[astrohip]

Originally Posted by Glossa

I will certainly not be giving money to anything Disney-related so I'm hoping they stay away from this state.

Help me understand. Disney came out against a law. They did nothing else, took no other action, simply spoke their corporate mind.

Republicans went nuts and took action against Disney. Republicans, the ones always complaining about "cancel culture", literally took cancel action against Disney. For speaking up.

Disney didn't protest, organize marches on the Capital, or any other physical actions. They just spoke up.

Explain the Republican action against them. Are we not allowed to speak our minds?

[DabOnEm]

Originally Posted by astrohip

Help me understand. Disney came out against a law. They did nothing else, took no other action, simply spoke their corporate mind.

Republicans went nuts and took action against Disney. Republicans, the ones always complaining about "cancel culture", literally took cancel action against Disney. For speaking up.

Disney didn't protest, organize marches on the Capital, or any other physical actions. They just spoke up.

Explain the Republican action against them. Are we not allowed to speak our minds?

Is that what happened because it sounds like Disney had special business relations with Florida and effectively ran itself as a city-state, something other theme parks don't get the benefit of. Now it won't be able to do that and instead will pay taxes to the counties they're located in vs themselves. I know there was rumors this would cost taxpayers more in those counties but that wasn't true either.

What I've seen most people do who don't like what Disney has said in board meetings recently is they're cancelling their Disney+ subscriptions and aren't going to their theme parks. They don't care if you keep watching or going to their theme parks, but they won't be giving Disney their money. That's different than the typical cancel culture I've seen where people literally try getting others fired from their jobs and banned from working again.

[As Above So Below...]

Originally Posted by houston-nomad

Given how DeSantis and Abbott are competing for the Wingnut Governor award, I can't imagine Disney would consider coming to Texas while Abbott is still in charge. They've just experienced firsthand how far a Republican governor will go against a private company to get their base frothing. Why put yourself in that position again?

This is not happening.

Yeah this was my though. Patrick wants a law identical to what Florida has. Disney adding any jobs here is not happening at all.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Originally Posted by As Above So Below...

Yeah this was my though. Patrick wants a law identical to what Florida has. Disney adding any jobs here is not happening at all.

I’m surprised it took people this long to bring this up. The one state and only state and group of politicians that aid more of a punching bag than Florida is Texas starting Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick and Ted Cruz.

[DabOnEm]

At the end of the day it is just lip service. Disney is is not leaving/downsizing the fortress they created. The "attack" Florida did on Disney is no different than what California did to Disneyland many years ago when they removed the special tax zone.

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by Redlionjr

Now my personal opinion is I don't see Walt Disney coming to Texas and even if they did why would they choose Fort Bend over let's say somewhere in the Hill Country?

Hills aren't conducive to development. One reason why Walt Disney chose Florida for the East Coast park.

Originally Posted by gwarnecke

The odds of Disney building a third park anywhere in the US, Texas included, are remote. Between sky-high construction costs and the improbability of being able to secretly piece together the park acreage like they did in Florida, it's just not going to happen.

Disney is quite happy to make incremental upgrades to their existing parks, pack them with guests, and use the crowds as justification to continually raise prices beyond the reach of middle-class families. I enjoyed a few Disney World visits as a child, and I feel obligated to give our kids this experience at least once, but I'm very grateful that there are plenty of other theme parks that are more affordable, closer to home, and that have steered clear of politics.

Walt Disney made his only mistake by building two parks to serve each coast, instead of one park in the center of the country. He never lived to see airline flights being affordable and commonplace.

Houston is suitable for a consolidated park because of its central location and the Southern U.S. hub for United and proximity to Latin America. Disney Cruise Line is going to Galveston.

Originally Posted by LocalPlanner

However, the current rumor has been that Disney is looking near Jarrell, north of Georgetown. Just relating what I've heard...

Yeah, Tornado Alley! LOL

Originally Posted by SanJac

This makes sense...if anywhere I would think San Antonio is the "tourist magnet" for Texas and it is family-oriented...

S.A. doesn't hold a candle to Las Vegas, Orlando, or Miami. At best it's a regional tourist magnet for Texas and the central plains.

Originally Posted by DabOnEm

At the end of the day it is just lip service. Disney is is not leaving/downsizing the fortress they created. The "attack" Florida did on Disney is no different than what California did to Disneyland many years ago when they removed the special tax zone.

Despite the delusions of Republicans, they're leaving. The asset is 50 years old, already depreciated, and has made ROI several times over. No need for Disney to chase sunk costs! Unlike Disneyland, Disney World dominates the Orlando and Florida economy (largest employer in the state!). If DeSantis tried to hit hard, Disney can hit harder!

A few years ago, it made sense to sell landlocked Disneyworld for the real estate value and consolidate North America operations by developing remaining areas of Disney World property. Now the political climate in Florida is causing Disney to reconsider their future Florida business strategy. Perhaps Disney will leave the theme park business in the U.S. because their streaming/TV business is more profitable right now.

[LocalPlanner]

Originally Posted by ParaguaneroSwag

That would be better than standing in line in the winter in anything north of the sun belt. And while not everyone agrees on weather conditions, the sun belt weather is much trendier right now than than colder climates.

Thing is, summer is the time when most families with kids are able to travel to a Disney park. I'd rather do that in say, Ohio, than the Sunbelt.

[Redlionjr]

Originally Posted by houston-nomad

Given how DeSantis and Abbott are competing for the Wingnut Governor award, I can't imagine Disney would consider coming to Texas while Abbott is still in charge. They've just experienced firsthand how far a Republican governor will go against a private company to get their base frothing. Why put yourself in that position again?

This is not happening.

Yeah the politics of this whole thing is one thing I forgot to mention in my original post. That alone is also reason for me to believe that a Disney theme park will never happen in Texas. Texas and Florida are pretty much 1A and 1B when it comes to over the top authoritarian republican cesspools in this nation. And I'm not talking down on the Republican party as a whole it's just that these 2 states take the cake in that arena. Disney is nothing more than a corporate entity but very self aware when it comes to politics. Plus as pro business as this state is I have a feeling if Disney were seriously considering building in Texas it would get shot down by Abbot.

Originally Posted by KerrTown

Hills aren't conducive to development. One reason why Walt Disney chose Florida for the East Coast park.

Successful theme parks already exist in Hill Country. And for the record isn't San Antonio included in the Hill Country? They already have Fiesta and Sea World. Between Austin and San Antonio that part of Texas is pretty much the tourist destination of the state. It's also more favorable weather conditions in that region compared to Houston and DFW. I would think Disney would probably prefer that area to Fort Bend which is more prone to hurricanes and flooding.