Anaheim Hires 2nd Legal Team for Disney Talks : Theme park: The city recruits a San Francisco firm to develop a plan for financing city improvements that would accommodate resort proposal.

The city has added a second outside law firm to its team of negotiators working to land a $3-billion expansion of Disneyland.

In a 3-2 vote Tuesday, the council approved the hiring of Jones Hall Hill & White of San Francisco to develop a plan for financing city improvements that would accommodate the proposed Disneyland Resort project.

A city review team that included Deputy City Manager Tom Wood, City Atty. Jack L. White and Finance Director George P. Ferrone recommended the firm over three others, citing the San Francisco company’s expertise in financing projects through sales of municipal bonds.

Officials have yet to reveal how much the city would have to contribute to the Disney project, but it has been estimatedthat building two planned parking garages to provide 30,000 new parking spaces for the expanded theme park complex could cost up to $500 million.

The city has indicated that possible funding methods might include establishing special assessment districts.

Anaheim’s hiring added legal counsel comes before Walt Disney Co. executives announce whether the company will build the Disneyland Resort or opt for a $3-billion ocean-theme park, called DisneySea, in Long Beach.

“We had planned for some time to add to the city team,” Wood said before Tuesday’s council vote. “We are at a point now where we need advice on possible ways to finance the project.”

Councilman William D. Ehrle, who with Councilman Tom Daly cast the two dissenting votes, called the council action premature.

“Until we know what Disney is going to do, I think it’s not prudent to talk about hiring a bond counsel at this time.”

Daly said his objection was based on his preference to award the contract to an Orange County or Southern California law firm.

Earlier this year, the council voted unanimously to hire Los Angeles attorney Thomas F. Winfield III at a rate of $250 per hour to join city officials as they began talks with Disney.

Ferrone said the San Francisco firm’s compensation would not be drawn out of the city’s general fund but be included as a percentage of any bond sale it arranged for the city.

In a memo outlining its recommendation of Jones Hall Hill & White, the review team said it wanted to identify the firm that could provide “the broadest range of experience . . . in several financing approaches that may best suit this joint venture.”

Talks with Disney are expected to last at least through the end of the year, when the entertainment company is expected to decide where to build its next Southern California attraction.

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