Orlando Sentinel by Gabrielle Russon
Spet 18, 2019
Universal Orlando has so fiercely guarded the secrets of its planned Epic Universe theme park that several OUC employees signed non-disclosure agreements before they were allowed to work on the project.
It’s a move some legal experts find puzzling since the Orlando Utilities Commission is municipally owned and beholden to the state’s public records laws when it comes to releasing information.
“The idea of ‘we’re not going to disclose anything because of this NDA’ ― that doesn’t seem right,” said University of Florida law professor Mark Fenster, who focus includes government transparency. “You can’t contract away your responsibilities under the Sunshine Law.”
The documents that five OUC employees signed between November 2018 and May warned all information related to Universal’s upcoming project is “strictly confidential.” No information — verbally or in writing — can be given to the news media, the NDA says. Universal threatens to sue those who breach the deal.
