Over the last two years, Disney gave nearly $200,000 to Florida lawmakers who supported the proposed LGBTQ+ legislation, including the bill's Republican sponsors, state Rep. The theme park employs more people at a single location than any other company in the US, and 2019 study found that Orlando tourism generated $75.2 billion in annual economic impact for Central Florida, according to global research firm Oxford Economics. Simply put, they can be counterproductive and undermine more effective ways to achieve change.'įlorida has one of the largest economic powerhouses in the United States, largely thanks to revenue brought in by Disney World in Orlando. 'Instead, they are often weaponized by one side or the other to further divide and inflame. 'As we have seen time and again, corporate statements do very little to change outcomes or minds,' Chapek said in the memo.
