New Chapter for Disney and Anaheim

The disclosure that the Walt Disney Co. plans a second Anaheim theme park, built around the concept of “California Adventure,” had a familiar but still welcome ring. After all, it was only five years ago that the company announced plans for a $3-billion theme park to be called Westcot. After long negotiations with Anaheim officials and creative attempts to get funds from the city and transportation agencies, the grandiose plans were scrapped.

The proposal for the new park, to be on what is now Disneyland’s parking lot, finds the company and the city facing new realities. Anaheim, which lost money in the Orange County bankruptcy, is already pledged to spend tens of millions of dollars to improve Anaheim Stadium for the Disney-owned Angels baseball team. It wisely scaled back its own plans for Sportstown, an entertainment center near the stadium.

A key point in Disney-Anaheim negotiations will be how much money the company wants from the city for public improvements. The city again must rise to meet the familiar challenge of guarding the taxpayer’s pocketbook while facilitating improvements that potentially can pay dividends to city coffers. To its credit, the city has moved ahead with improvements to downtown Anaheim.

Disney and Anaheim have forged an impressive entertainment partnership in the last 40 years. The latest chapter in the relationship could build on that success, so long as both sides are imaginative, and realistic.