OC Register's Resort District Editorial Off-The-Mark
Posted by: Jubal | 07/16/2007 2:09 PM
I posted this over at the Protect Anaheim Blog:
Today's OC Register's editorial on the Anaheim Resort District fight boils down to "a pox on both your houses," with an extra-heavy helping of pox tossed at SunCal.
But the Register seems to have bought into the Resort District mythology created by the myth-makers at Disney, and the editorial paints an inaccurate picture.
For example:
"Disney made good on its promise to build a second theme park, California Adventure, along with Downtown Disney and the Grand Californian Hotel."
But Disney didn't promise Anaheim city government and affected property owners California Adventure. Disney promised the far-more ambitious WestCOT.
You can read the rest over there -- and Part 2 over here.
[full disclosure: I'm a consultant to the SunCal project Disney is trying to kill).
you can see the documentary I made about him at recallingrocco "dot" com....
The Disney-SunCal situation is like the fable of the emperor who wore no clothes. Most everybody knows the truth but will not admit it, even the Register's editotial staff.
The truth is that Disneyland absolutely needs the 26 acres for a third park (gate). But Disneyland only likes to pay pennies to buy land.
An example is the present land they own for a third park, a strawberry field that a Japanese farmer refused to sell them. Disneyland with the city of Anaheim's official help, attempted to force the sale, which resulted in the farmer's death. Disneyland then, using deception, purchased the land at a bargain from the farmer's children.
Disneyland for some time has been trying to bully Dudley Frank into selling them his land "for pennies". Dudley Frank, not wanting to sell the land "for pennies", got someone of strength (SunCal) to help him get a fair price. SunCal, having the same political abilities as Disney and knowing of Disney's great need for the land, is seeking top dollar.
Disneyland, having been spoiled from getting the Japanese farmer's land cheap, is doing whatever it can to prevent paying full price.
As Anaheim residents, we feel that SunCal are the good guys, for the higher the selling price, the more property taxes will be paid by Disneyland.