Doerges to Work on New Projects for Disneyland

Disneyland said Tuesday that its second-highest-ranking executive, Norm Doerges, was given additional duties that include a search for a concept to replace the Disneyland Resort project, a $3-billion theme park and hotel development scuttled in January by the Walt Disney Co.

Doerges, 51, who retains his title as executive vice president, will be responsible for creating new projects next to the park. After the parent company killed the resort idea as too expensive, it said that it intends to design a new attraction that will cost less and be built in phases over a longer period.

As one of his first tasks, though, Doerges will head a team that is planning to revamp the aging Tomorrowland inside the park by 1998.

Doerges, a 28-year veteran, started at Disney as a sports center manager and worked through the ranks to hold various theme-park posts in Florida. He came to Disneyland in 1990, and is known as an operations wizard.