Putting It Together : Anaheim and Disney move close to a colossal investment

Disneyland asked for the moon when it first sought public financing for its proposed $3-billion expansion of the theme park. But now that the Anaheim City Council has approved the environmental impact report for a new park, the project is beginning to shape up as a promising and more realistic partnership between the public and private sectors.

The project has come a long way in the three years since the Disney Co. played Long Beach against Anaheim in the bidding for its new park, demanding large amounts of public help. The political road is not entirely clear yet. Opponents have complained about the prospects of crowded schools and more traffic and are threatening to sue.

Since picking Anaheim, the company has made some concessions and has benefited from constructive negotiations with the city and from the willingness of regional agencies to find creative ways of making the project a part of larger infrastructure improvements.

The Orange County Transportation Authority was able to obtain federal funds by adding a transit terminal with express bus service and rail connections to one parking structure, serving both tourism and mass transit. Caltrans and state officials joined the transportation authority and Disney in lobbying Washington. It was a wise effort that helped all sides.

Anaheim is properly cautious about how much money it will have to pay. That amount is yet to be determined, and Disney always proves to be a tough bargainer. But the city is correct in looking beyond Fantasyland to here-and-now infrastructure improvements and cleaning up the run-down neighborhood outside the park.

For nearly four decades, Disneyland has been a major part of the city and the region. Though more hard bargaining lies ahead, the new jobs, increased sales tax revenue and psychological boost of expanding the park can prove to be a boon for Southern California.