UNIVERSAL CITY : MCA, State Official to Discuss Rail Station

Executives from MCA Inc. are scheduled to meet with the state’s top economic-affairs official today to discuss the entertainment giant’s bid to relocate a planned Metro Rail station from Lankershim Boulevard to a site nearer its Universal Studios and CityWalk attractions.

MCA spokeswoman Christine Hanson would not discuss details of the meeting with Julie Meier Wright, secretary of the Trade and Commerce Agency, saying only, “We contacted state officials and we’ll be talking about the location of the station.”

MCA has threatened to withhold an estimated $8 million it is expected to provide to help pay for the Lankershim Station if the station is not moved to a site under the Hollywood Freeway.

Wright, who reports to Gov. Pete Wilson, was not available for comment.

She is credited with creating the so-called Red Team approach in which government and private-sector officials come together to solve problems and has experience in settling such disputes.

Last year, the Red Team helped Fox Inc. get approvals for the $200-million expansion of its studio lot in Century City. It was also assembled for talks regarding Westcot, the proposed second gate at Disneyland in Anaheim.