Universal City: The Monster That Ate the East Valley : Most of the surrounding community hopes that MCA’s new owners will reverse the entertainment giant’s plan to choke the area with traffic, noise and congestion.

Changes are taking place with whirlwind speed at MCA/Universal. After several years of strained relations with MCA’s management, Matsushita is selling 80% of the entertainment giant to the Seagram Co.

What will the impact of the sale be on East Valley residents? Will MCA change its expansion plans at Universal City under the stewardship of Edgar Bronfman Jr., chief executive of Seagram?

If the past is any indication, big business will continue to chase the bottom line, ignoring much of the human impact of its actions. We have already learned that MCA managers Lew Wasserman and Sidney Sheinberg were not consulted before the sale. Residents fear that, similarly, they will not be consulted or listened to.

Under Matsushita, the complex at Universal Studios has been systematically undergoing a major change in its operation. What was once a clean, high-tech employer has become an out-of-control entertainment monster.

A few weeks ago the company announced a 25-year expansion that would take the process further, changing the 415-acre facility from primarily a motion picture studio to a resort complex--bringing with it noise, traffic, congestion and crime. Resort hotels, restaurants, theaters, offices and entertainment facilities would add 5.8 million square feet of buildings to the existing 5.4 million.

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We believe that most residents support filmmaking at Universal City but strongly oppose a change of use to an entertainment center. They fear that the proposed $3-billion expansion will create huge problems of traffic, congestion and pollution. The current operations have already created gridlock and accidents on the Hollywood Freeway.

Moreover, fights have occurred several times at CityWalk, sometimes involving gang members. At a recent rock concert, it took 24 police officers to break up a dozen fights. Several weeks later, four deputies were injured while making three arrests at a Halloween party near CityWalk.

CityWalk is not Disneyland! Disneyland maintains a 100% secure and controlled environment behind a fence. Visitors are under full observation and control of the security staff. This is not true at CityWalk. Anyone can enter or leave, and thousands do so every weekend, creating a security nightmare.

The MCA/Universal expansion does not have the support of local residents and homeowner associations. Recently, a new group, the Alliance Against MCA/Universal Expansion, was formed. Its goal is to stop the expansion of resort and entertainment activities while supporting filmmaking and production activities.

In 1931, Carl Laemmle’s “Dracula” struck fear into the hearts of movie audiences. Just as the monster drained the life from his victims, a destination resort will strain the infrastructure and soak up shared resources. Each drop of water consumed, gallon of sewage produced and pound of trash generated by the entertainment resort will cost all of us.

MCA/Universal is justifying the expansion on the basis of creating new jobs. But most new jobs will be part-time, low-skill, low-paid seasonal employment that will do little to help the Valley’s economy. MCA/Universal is shifting its emphasis from well-paid film production occupations to low-end amusement and entertainment work.

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We are concerned that film editors, post-production people, sound engineers, camera operators, set designers and other skilled craftspeople will be replaced by security guards, hot dog vendors, tram drivers and restroom attendants. Some MCA/Universal attractions handle tens of thousands of guests each day but employ only a dozen or so hourly workers, relying on automation and mass production to do much of the work.

The history of MCA/Universal shows a powerful influence with local elected officials. The public has lost its ability to control building, density, traffic and roadways.

Think of what will become of Studio City, for example, if it is allowed to become the transportation hub of the Valley, feeding the MCA/Universal giant. Quiet, pleasant neighborhoods will be replaced by rail stations, bus terminals, taxi stands, hotel pickup, limousine stops and huge parking lots. Cahuenga Boulevard West will become one long row of wax museums, nightspots and tourist motels. Already jammed Barham Boulevard and Highland Avenue will become impassible, and heaven only knows what will happen to the Toluca Lake community.

Many residents selected their East Valley homes for their location, view, character and the serenity of the area. For hillside residents living near or overlooking MCA/Universal, dream homes have become nightmares. These residents moved in next to a non-polluting movie studio and have watched it evolve into a voracious entertainment giant that is destroying their community.

Like King Kong, MCA/Universal has broken out of its cage and is wreaking havoc on the townspeople. Like King Kong, it can be captured and chained.

MCA/Universal has distributed a notice of the preparation of an environmental impact report under the California Environmental Quality Act and is asking the public to identify issues that should be addressed. Hearings before the Los Angeles Regional Planning Commission, the County Board of Supervisors, the Los Angeles City Planning Commission and the City Council will provide opportunities for residents to raise questions, challenge the expansion and put the brakes on the runaway Universal tram!