美国国家公共电台 NPR--Disney cancels plans for $1 billion Florida campus

Disney cancels plans for $1 billion Florida campus

Transcript¹

The Walt Disney Co. is cancelling plans to build a nearly $1 billion office complex in Florida and move more than 2,000 jobs to the state.

Disney Parks Chairman Josh D'Amaro told employees in an email Thursday that the company had decided² not to move forward with the massive office complex in Orlando because of "new leadership and changing business conditions."

The announcement comes a week after Disney CEO Bob Iger said an ongoing³ dispute with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis raised questions about the company's continued investment there. In a conference call with analysts⁴, Iger said actions by DeSantis and Republican lawmakers amounted to a "campaign of government retaliation⁵" against Disney.

Last year, DeSantis signed a bill stripping the company of self-governing authority over its 40-square-mile property near Orlando after former Disney CEO Bob Chapek pledged to help overturn a state law banning discussions of sexual orientation⁶ and gender⁷ identity in schools.

On last week's conference call, Iger asked rhetorically, "Does the state want us to invest more, employ more people, and pay more taxes, or not?"

The New York Times reports that people briefed on the matter said the company's dispute with DeSantis "figured prominently" in the decision to cancel the project.

While DeSantis hasn't commented publicly on Disney's announcement, his press secretary said this in a statement: "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."

The decision to relocate more than 2,000 Disney jobs from California to Florida wasn't popular with affected⁸ employees, some of whom reportedly quit. In his note to staff, D'Amaro said the company would talk individually with employees who have already moved to Florida and about "the possibility of moving you back."

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

4 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

5 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 orientation   

n.方向，目标；熟悉，适应，情况介绍

参考例句：

• Children need some orientation when they go to school.小孩子上学时需要适应。
• The traveller found his orientation with the aid of a good map.旅行者借助一幅好地图得知自己的方向。

7 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

8 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。