Development Focus Turns to Area Near Big A : Revitalization: Undeterred by Disney’s decision to scrap its planned $3-billion resort, Anaheim is ready to prepare a master plan for a sports and entertainment complex near the stadium.
A month after Walt Disney Co. decided against building a $3-billion resort next to Disneyland, officials in this tourist-oriented city are turning their attention to another one of their dreams: a lavish sports and entertainment development on property surrounding the Big A.
The City Council on Tuesday is expected to approve spending close to $450,000 to hire a consulting firm to develop a master plan to revitalize an 807-acre area that includes Anaheim Stadium and The Pond. The consultants will also be charged with exploring ways to link the city’s sports facilities to other tourist destinations, such as Disneyland and the Anaheim Convention Center, city officials said Friday.
What exactly would be built in the area--now primarily devoted to an office building complex--has yet to be decided. But restaurants, stores and a trendy virtual reality entertainment center in a park-like setting of canals and landscaping have been discussed in the past by city officials.
“We want to create something so that visitors to the city will stay longer and spend their money here in Anaheim,” said Anaheim Stadium general manager Greg Smith. “The plan could be entertainment and some unique retail. We know we can’t just build a mall, so that’s why we need to hire someone who has a vision that would attract people.”
With the council’s approval, that vision will belong to the Jerde Partnership Inc., the firm responsible for designing the popular CityWalk in Universal City.
The Venice-based urban design firm is among seven companies that would be working on different aspects of the design phase of the project under the supervision of the Spectrum Group, an Irvine-based consulting firm headed by former Santa Ana Mayor Daniel H. Young.
The work is expected to take six to eight months, Smith said.
Other companies working with the Spectrum Group would focus on areas such as traffic, parking, and transportation; a public facilities plan that would analyze existing infrastructure and identify necessary improvements; market research and an analysis of the financial feasibility of the project, and the preparation of an environmental impact report that would detail how such a project would affect the surrounding area.
“There are a variety of great opportunities in this area of the city and this study will help identify the best and most practical way to proceed in the future,” Mayor Tom Daly said Friday. “I think having the Jerde design staff involved is exciting because they have a great reputation all over the world.”
Since ideas for the area are still extremely conceptual, it is not known how much such a project would cost or how the city would pay for it.
But the study to help find these answers is being paid for by a combination of Planning Department and Redevelopment Agency funds, as well as earnings from the city-owned stadium, according to city documents.
One roadblock that must be overcome before development could begin is a legal dispute between the city and Anaheim Stadium Associates regarding development rights to the stadium property.
Still, the news that the city is actually launching the study and planning phase of the project was met with positive reaction Friday.
“It would be a great asset to the region,” said Elaine Kelly, spokeswoman for the Anaheim and Orange County Visitors and Convention Bureau. “It would give visitors a reason to stay longer.”
John Nicoletti, spokesman for The Pond said, “Any plans that the city has to increase the number of people that come into this area, and plans to beautify the property, certainly sits very well with us. We’re looking forward to seeing what the designers can dream up for this area.”
Any plans would also probably include a new baseball stadium for the California Angels. The city is expected to resume its discussions with the baseball team next week as the two sides try and reach an agreement on a new lease and a new stadium, Smith said.
This would leave The Big A vacant if the plans by the Los Angeles Rams to move to St. Louis are approved by the National Football League. Anaheim had offered to convert the stadium into a football-only facility for the team. They now say they hope to lure another NFL team to Anaheim if the Rams move is approved.
“If we can keep people here, and keep them entertained and active in our city, the benefits are tremendous,” Smith said. “The synergy of The Pond and the Anaheim Stadium and a possible new stadium all create a reason to stay and spend money.”
The expected hiring of The Spectrum Group is another sign that Anaheim is determined to press on with maintaining and expanding its tourism industry, which was dealt a blow last month by Disney’s plans to downscale its planned expansion and the Rams announced departure.
It will be at least another two months before the entertainment giant returns to the city with a new version of expansion plans, which could be either a much more modest plan than the massive resort once envisioned, or a large project built incrementally.
Anaheim has also vowed to move forward with a $172-million revitalization plan around Disneyland that was to have gone hand-in-hand with the Disney expansion, and earlier this month hired a top accounting firm to study the economic feasibility of expanding the Anaheim Convention Center.
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Development Dream Anaheim officials are expected to pay an archtectural firm almost $450,000 to create a master plan for a sports and entertainment complex near Anaheim Stadium. The boundaries of this plan: Source: City of Anaheim
