Anaheim Plans Study of Disney Project Impact : Growth: While the firm’s proposals are still under wraps, the council will be asked to approve an analysis to ascertain what infrastructure and service costs the city would be required to assume in a major expansion.

Although plans for the Walt Disney Co.’s billion-dollar expansion in the city remain secret, City Council members will be asked today to approve spending $101,000 to study the economic impact of the proposal and its potential costs to the city.

Municipal officials said the three-phased analysis would first look at the current economic status of the area in the vicinity of Disneyland and then incorporate Disney’s future plans as they become available.

Deputy City Manager Tom Wood said a “base-line” analysis of the area must be done to update the city’s revenue sources in the area.

“We want to be prepared to react (to the Disney plan) with knowledge about the commercial recreation area.”

The city’s plans to study the economic impact of an expansion come before Disney’s decision on whether to locate additional major attractions in Anaheim or in Long Beach.

Last summer, the entertainment giant announced lavish plans for Port Disney, a marine-oriented theme park, but company officials say only one city will be selected for immediate development plans.

Disney is expected to publicly reveal its plans for Anaheim this month. During the past several weeks, the company has allowed city officials to privately view a model for the local expansion.

“It’s beautiful,” said one city official who declined to be identified. “The sheer level of beauty in the detail, the amount of water, landscaping and public space is very impressive. I better not say more.”

Wood said the projected economic impact of a major Disney expansion could not be calculated until Disney reveals its plan. Key in the city’s considerations are what infrastructure and service costs Anaheim would be required to assume.

The study, which would be performed by the San Francisco-based firm of Caine Gressel Midgley Inc., would also analyze potential financing strategies for improvements required for streets, public transportation concerns and parking demands.

“Having independent experts look at the numbers will be very helpful,” said Councilman Tom Daly. “We don’t want to take all of Disney’s projections at face value.”