Disney Proposes Deal With Anaheim for $2.5B Park Expansion

The Walt Disney Co. is planning to command between $1.9 billion and $2.5 billion over 10 years on a ramification of its Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif., which it has dubbed “DisneylandForward.” The firm is aiming to interchange its agreement with the metropolis to shift unbuilt traits that had been authorized in the 1990s and kind a brand fresh parking construction.

Disney has now no longer publicly shared definitive plans for the growth, however an environmental analysis carried out closing year and feedback firm representatives maintain made at metropolis conferences issue some well-known sides. Rachel Alde, vice chairman of worldwide trend for Disney Experiences, talked about all over an Anaheim Metropolis Council meeting Jan. 23 that the firm objectives to find extra “immersive experiences.” She pointed to examples at Disney parks in Hong Kong and Shanghai that mix attractions, hotels, eating locations and retail sharing a single theme, treasure the movie “Frozen” or “Zootopia.” 

These immersive experiences are extra huge than veteran theme park attractions—one such park station to begin at Tokyo DisneySea this spring is 30 acres— however are obligatory to withhold Disneyland competitive with fresh innovations and proceed drawing guests, Alde talked about.

“We would prefer to station ourselves up for the next 10, 20, 40 years,” she talked about. 

With Disneyland surrounded by totally different occupied properties, its room for growth is limited. Nonetheless the firm has prompt it would possibly perchance perchance well well flip about a of its property in an station zoned just for hotels west of the present park into an immersive theme park, and a parking space southeast of the park into “a brand fresh trend of Disney leisure.” It has furthermore prompt building a parking construction on the residing of one more parking space east of the park, as successfully as pedestrian bridges over public roads to hyperlink the deliberate garage and immersive park to the present park. 

Blueprint courtesy of Metropolis of Anaheim

To discontinue all that, Disney wants metropolis officers to interchange their trend agreement with the firm, which they signed in 1996 and lasts by means of 2036. Ted White, Anaheim’s deputy metropolis manager and planning director, talked about in every single place in the contemporary council meeting that the proposal is to interchange the agreement and lengthen it by means of around 2064. The change would shift some zoned uses, akin to amending the that hotel-zoned property for a lot of theme park uses.

“With out a doubt, it all turns into one huge district,” White talked about.

Metropolis team had been working with Disney on a draft agreement. Constant with White, it consists of hundreds and hundreds of greenbacks that Disney would pay the metropolis, akin to $30 million toward affordable housing, $8 million for metropolis parks and up to $10 million for sewer infrastructure upgrades. Disney would furthermore proceed its crew trend and jobs program and provide repayment to the metropolis for public security costs and planning, allowing and inspection products and services. 

One issue of the proposal namely has drawn opposition from some residents. Disney is asking the metropolis to provide it control of portions of three streets neighboring its property. In exchange, the firm would pay the metropolis the appraised model of the land, which White talked about has been preliminarily estimated at $40 million. More than 200 other folks maintain signed an on-line petition opposing the switch, and the proposal became the topic of many feedback from residents on the contemporary metropolis council meeting. 

The proposal would possibly perchance perchance well well furthermore just furthermore face further scrutiny after musty Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu resigned in 2022 amid allegations of marketing his have confidence pursuits in his work for the metropolis. Sidhu later pleaded guilty to obstructing an FBI public corruption investigation and making misleading statements to FBI brokers connected to a federal probe into the failed sale of the Anaheim Angels’ stadium to the MLB crew.

Anaheim resident Cynthia Ward, speaking all over a public observation session on the council meeting, talked about many residents’ perception of how metropolis hall operates has now no longer modified for the rationale that scandal.

“I would snatch to welcome Disney’s funding in their property … however Disney’s heavy handed behavior sooner than and after Harry Sidhu’s disgrace hasn’t left a monetary institution of goodwill with neighbors,” Ward talked about.

There shall be extra conferences sooner than metropolis officers agree to any change with Disney. White talked about he expects the Public Planning Price will abet a listening to about the proposal in March, followed by a metropolis council listening to in April.