HRT for Women in Lake Nona, FL

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Walt Disney Company said Thursday that it will no longer be moving forward with its plans to open a $1 billion campus in Orlando’s Lake Nona development.

The campus was supposed to open in 2026.

“Given the considerable changes that have occurred since the announcement of this project, including new leadership and changing business conditions, we have decided not to move forward with construction of the campus,” said Josh D’Amaro, the chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, in a letter to employees Thursday.

D’Amaro said that the decision was not easy to make but “the right one.”

“As a result, we will no longer be asking our employees to relocate,” he said of employees who were asked to relocate to Florida from California. “For those who have already moved, we will talk to you individually about your situation, including the possibility of moving you back.”

D’Amaro said that Disney is committed to handling the change “with care and compassion.”

He said the company still plans to invest $17 billion in Florida and create 13,000 during the next 10 years.

“I hope we’re able to do so,” D’Amaro said in the letter.

Tavistock Group, Lake Nona’s owner, declined to comment on the decision.

Read: Sources: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis expected to announce 2024 presidential campaign next week

The city of Orlando told Channel 9 that it learned of Disney’s decision Thursday.

“As a city, we’re disappointed whenever a business chooses not to expand or locate in Orlando,” Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “That’s no different here with today’s news related to Disney.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office provided Channel 9 with the following statement on the company’s decision:

Read: Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser to permanently close this fall, Disney says

“Disney announced the possibility of a Lake Nona campus nearly two years ago. Nothing ever came of the project, and the state was unsure whether it would come to fruition. Given the company’s financial straits, falling market cap and declining stock price, it is unsurprising that they would restructure their business operations and cancel unsuccessful ventures.”

Check back for live updates to this developing story and watch a live report on Channel 9 Eyewitness News.

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ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A new school safety pilot program is coming to seven Orange County Schools, according to Media Relations Administrator Michael Ollendorff.

What You Need To Know

“Beginning this month, the district will pilot a schoolwide weapon detection system at seven randomly selected high schools across the district,” Ollendorff said.

One of the schools participating in the test is Lake Nona High School.

On Monday, Dec. 4, Principal Nikki Campbell at Lake Nona High School sent a message to families that reads in part:

“I want to let you know about an important enhancement to school security,” she said.

Later in the call, she said, “Our school has been randomly selected as one of seven high schools to pilot this technology.”

School leaders say the district has always prioritized security efforts in their schools.

Some students felt the addition is a smart move for safety. But others worry about the potential lines that security screenings could cause at the beginning of the school day.

Kevin Kendrick runs the “Parents of Lake Nona High School” Facebook group with 3,300 members, and has heard feedback from parents in the community.

“The purpose of the page is a lot of times to ask questions. Sometimes it’s, ‘How do we buy a football ticket, where do we buy our homecoming tickets,’ and then sometimes, it’s a little bit more in depth, such as the new security system that Lake Nona High School is going to have,” he said.

Some parents flocked to the page once the principal announced of new safety enhancements coming to the school.

Campbell also said Lake Nona High School will begin using the Opengate weapons detection system to screen all students and visitors entering campus during school hours when they return after the winter break.

Kendrick, who has two children that graduated from the school, says security efforts are key.

“I think anything that Orange County Public Schools can do to keep our students safe is a plus,” he said. “At the end of the day, as a parent, we want our kids to come home and that’s the expectation.”

He also says he recognizes some parents may have different opinions.

“This is just another tool to keep our students safe, so I support it 100%,” said Kendrick. “I think it should be in all schools and there are people who may not see the other side of it, maybe it’s a violation, but at the end of the day, we’re sending our kids to a public school and the public school has got be responsible for our tax dollars, responsible for the safety of our kids.”

School officials say that while the pilot program at Lake Nona High School begins after winter break, other schools are on different timetables.

The superintendent is expected to provide an update on the school pilot program at the next school board meeting on Tuesday.

State and local leaders had plenty to say following Walt Disney World’s announcement it has canceled plans for a new $1 billion campus in Lake Nona.

Democrats blamed the move on Gov. Ron DeSantis and his ongoing battle with the entertainment company.

“Florida is once again suffering because of Gov. Ron DeSantis’s inability to lead,” newly elected U.S. Rep Maxwell Frost said. “He’s not only launched a full-scale attack on our people and some of the most vulnerable in our communities, he is now effectively threatening our state’s economy.

“Disney’s project in Lake Nona should have been a win for Florida, a win for our economy and a win for working people in the Orlando area,” Frost said. “This $1 billion development would have employed thousands while positively impacting our tourism industries. He’s more interested in running for president than running the state of Florida, and Floridians are paying the price of his campaign.”

State Sen. Linda Stewart agreed.

“While the news from Disney … comes as a disappointment, it is an understandable move given the business climate we are in as a state,” she said. “Businesses continuously evaluate environments and economic factors when undertaking large relocations — and Disney is no different. While I wish the determination was different, I believe Florida’s political atmosphere caused this reorganization to occur. However, this move should not be viewed as a reflection on Lake Nona. The additional jobs and housing would have been a great boost to our community, but I’m confident that Lake Nona will continue to be a key location for future investment from the Walt Disney Company.”

“It is unfortunate that Disney will not be moving forward with construction of the Lake Nona campus,” Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said. “However, these are the consequences when there isn’t an inclusive and collaborative work environment between the state of Florida and the business community. We will continue to work closely with our valued partners at Disney.”

DeSantis’ office refuted the claim that Disney’s decision was political.

“Disney announced the possibility of a Lake Nona campus nearly two years ago,” the governor’s office said in a prepared statement. “Nothing ever came of the project, and the state was unsure whether it would come to fruition. Given the company’s financial straits, falling market cap and declining stock price, it is unsurprising that they would restructure their business operations and cancel unsuccessful ventures.”

In his announcement of the decision, Walt Disney World Resort President Jeff Vahle reiterated the company’s commitment to Central Florida.

“Today, you may have heard the news that Disney is no longer moving forward on the construction of a new campus in the thriving and growing community of Lake Nona in Orlando,” he said. “Since we first announced this project, several dynamics have changed, including a change in company leadership and evolving economic and business conditions.

“Regarding our world-class destination, our desire is to continue investing in our core business in an effort to attract and welcome millions of visitors to Walt Disney World and Central Florida each year, so they can enjoy the kind of hospitality our region is known for around the world,” Vahle said. “Our plans currently call for us to invest $17 billion in Walt Disney World over the next 10 years and create 13,000 new jobs to continue doing our part as a leading employer in the hospitality and themed entertainment industry. We hope those plans will become a future reality.

“For decades, we have operated our business responsibly and being the region’s largest taxpayer, we paid and collected (more than) $1.1 billion in state and local taxes during last year alone,” he said. “As the largest single-site employer in Central Florida, we are deeply rooted in this community, and we continue to make investments for the betterment of our region such as our contribution of 80 acres of land to create affordable and attainable housing for our community, which we announced last year. Groundbreaking on this development is targeted for next year, with the first of 1,400 units anticipated to be completed in 2026.

“While today’s decision was not easy, we remain committed to our Cast Members, as well as you and our wonderful community,” Vahle said.

Disney announced plans for the 60-acre Lake Nona campus in July 2021. The campus would have become the new workplace for employees from the company’s Parks, Experiences and Products division, and the company planned to move about 2,000 California-based employees to Central Florida. The campus originally was set to be operational by the end 2022, but the company previously had pushed that back to 2026.

The conversation that ultimately led to the dissolution of the Disney’s Reedy Creek Improvement District began in April 2022. DeSantis signed the legislation ending the special district and establishing the DeSantis-appointed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Board of Supervisors in February 2023. Most recently, the oversight board filed a lawsuit against Disney regarding the Reedy Creek district’s final act, which essentially gave the company the development authority the RCID once held. Disney also has filed a suit against the DeSantis and the oversight board, claiming they engaged in “a targeted campaign of government retaliation.”

On the same day as the announcement about the Lake Nona campus, Disney also revealed it will be closing the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser hotel experience, which opened in March 2022.

ORLANDO, Fla. —

By all accounts, it's a miracle an Orlando woman is still alive.

This past Tuesday, while out with her dog, 28-year-old Rebecca Soto got hit by lightning.

Lauro and Rebecca Soto, along with their trusty companion, Drake, live a sweet life in the Lake Nona area.

On Tuesday, Rebecca spent the first part of her evening getting ready for the concert of a lifetime.

"My wife was painting her nails and trying on outfits for a Beyoncé concert that she was going to attend with some friends the next day," Lauro said.

Related: 11-year-old girl hospitalized after being struck by lightning at Central Florida inlet

But what happened the last part of the evening almost took her life.

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According to her husband, Rebecca and their dog walked outside for a quick potty break.

Lauro says out of nowhere, he heard a burst of thunder.

“I have never heard such a loud boom in my life," Lauro said.

Lauro says he raced outside and found his wife face down on the ground, “completely limp."

Related: Woman, child struck by lightning in Central Florida within 24 hours

“As soon as I flipped her over, my first thought was that she was dead," Lauro said. "A couple of bystanders came by who were riding bikes or just walking by saw the frantic scene that was happening, stopped and were able to help me."

Rebecca was taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where she got the medical help that saved her life.

Lauro says the progress his wife has made since then is “remarkable.”

“I never thought that I would be smiling and laughing with my wife," Lauro said.

Rebecca is able to walk and talk, but Lauro says it will take a while before they know the full extent of her injuries.

In the meantime, they're together and taking nothing for granted.

"Every moment I get to spend with her, I will cherish that," Lauro said.

In the end, Rebecca will need therapy and rehab.

If you'd like to help, here's a GoFundMe page.

Top headlines:

AdventHealth wants to build a much bigger hospital in east Orlando's Lake Nona community than it first planned.

The Altamonte Springs-based nonprofit health system now has proposed a five-story, 300,000-square-foot hospital with an additional two stories of shell space with 75,000 square feet, according to city of Orlando documents.

The hospital is planned as the first phase of development on a 67.28-acre property AdventHealth owns the eastern side of the intersection of Lake Nona Boulevard and Narcoossee Road.

Why this matters: New health care construction creates opportunities for area contractors, vendors and suppliers, as well as new jobs and increased access to medical services for area residents, which can be a draw for companies looking to relocate.

Originally, AdventHealth was approved for a 250,000-square-foot hospital, 50,000-square-foot medical office building and a parking garage. The system wants to replace that plan with the new one. City staff recommends approval of the new plan during the city's July 13 development review committee meeting.

AdventHealth spokesman David Breen told Orlando Business Journal the hospital will open with an initial capacity of 80 beds, but can grow. "The building can go up to 10 floors, allowing us to grow and add beds as the community grows."

Construction is anticipated to start in early 2024 and be completed in early 2026. A contractor for the project will be announced later.

In total, 27.41 acres at 10999 Narcoossee Road would be used for development and 39.9 acres will stay as conservation land. That property is across the road from its existing 19,000-square-foot AdventHealth Lake Nona ER at 10080 Lake Nona Blvd.

The next steps would include approval of the development review committee minutes at a future city council meeting, a city planning official reviewing the final site plan and providing a letter of determination to AdventHealth, along with building permits being requested and issued by the permitting services division.

AdventHealth also has many other construction projects in the works or recently completed across the region, including:

AdventHealth has more than 39,374 employees in Central Florida, making it the region's second-largest employer, based on OBJ research.

Founded in 1908, AdventHealth's Central Florida division includes more than 20 hospitals and ERs in the seven-county area in and around Orlando. Its hospitals and other outpatient services have more than 5.7 million patient visits annually. Nationally, the organization has more than $14.7 billion in annual operating revenue.

Meanwhile, health care construction starts have been growing nationwide, according to the most recent report from Hamilton, New Jersey-based Dodge Construction Network. While institutional construction starts fell just 1% in May, health care fared better due to a divide between public and private construction project funding, said Dodge Construction Network Chief Economist Richard Branch in a prepared statement.

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