Anaheim Developer Hopes to Lasso Mustang Museum

The home of the Mighty Ducks and Mickey Mouse may be adding Mustangs to its menagerie.

Anaheim is one of 25 cities across the nation in the running to become the official home of the Ford Mustang Museum. While the museum is not an official production of Ford Motor Co., the auto maker has supplied funding for a feasibility study.

Backers of the privately developed museum to honor the original pony car come mainly from enthusiasts’ groups. But several other corporations, as well as members of the Ford board of directors, also have pledged their support. “What we’ve seen to date has been impressive,” Ford spokesman Jim Bright said of the museum backers’ plans.

Anaheim’s application isn’t sponsored by the city. Instead, it was put together by the developer that hopes to build the Sportstown complex around Anaheim Stadium and the Pond arena as part of a city redevelopment project.

Museum backers have set up a site selection committee to evaluate the various proposals and expect to announce a home site for the museum early next year, said William Dillard, Atlanta-based president of both Mustang Museum Inc. and Mustang Clubs of America--the sanctioning group for Mustang owners’ clubs around the country.

Other cities that have made pitches or been pitched include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Indianapolis, Memphis, Nashville, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Diego, San Francisco, St. Louis and Baltimore.

The city of Mustang, Okla., also has applied, but probably doesn’t stand much chance despite its appropriate name. It takes a lot of begging to raise the millions of dollars needed to start a museum of the kind envisioned by the Mustang fan clubs, says Dillard. But it also takes millions of dollars a year to keep it running.

“Our board doesn’t mind going begging to corporations for the money to set it up,” he said, “but we don’t want to be in the position of having to go back to those donors every year for operating funds. Wherever we put it has to be a place that is economically viable, so it can sustain itself.”

Dillard figures the museum and attached facilities, like a restaurant and meeting center, will provide about 300 jobs. “It will be a major attraction for all car enthusiasts, not just Mustang people.”

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John O’Dell covers major Orange County corporations and manufacturing for The Times. He can be reached at (714) 966-5831 and at john.odell@latimes.com