Disneyland Growth Good News for O.C.

If Orange County is to move into the 21st century with a vibrant economy, it’s critical that we develop and expand the assets that the county already has.

The retention and expansion of local business is a primary mission of the Orange County Business Council and its Economic Development Consortium, which was created to fulfill this role.

The recent announcement that the city of Anaheim and the Walt Disney Co. are proposing a public-private partnership that will allow the expansion of the Disneyland Resort and Anaheim Convention Center as well as provide a variety of public works improvements could not come at a better time.

The announcement sends a number of positive signals about Orange County and helps us execute our mission. First, Disney’s $1.4-billion financial commitment to its future here surely neutralizes any negative views that other parts of the country and the world may have about the health of California’s economy.

More important, the potential economic impact is good news for Orange County. Once completed, the expansion is expected to generate approximately $1.4 billion per year in new economic activity throughout Southern California. Studies indicate that the Disney expansion alone directly and indirectly will create 14,500 jobs, and that’s not counting about 10,000 jobs estimated during the five-year construction phase.

Local and state governments also will benefit. The Disney expansion is expected to generate $25 million annually in new revenue to Anaheim, $10 million to Orange County and $35 million to the state.

The consortium has some very specific goals for Orange County by the year 2000--the creation of 20,000 primary jobs and 28,000 secondary jobs and a $4.4-billion infusion into the economy. Clearly, the Disney and Anaheim expansion efforts will help us achieve this goal well into the next century.

As the business council and consortium developed a plan to increase and expand business in the county, we identified industry clusters where we saw the most opportunity. Tourism was at the top of our list along with technology and biomedical businesses. Certainly, the Anaheim area is pivotal to growing the tourism industry in Orange County.

Creation of an international airport also would have a major impact on the tourism industry. Recent county studies indicate that the highest and best use for the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station is an international airport. Should that happen, Orange County truly will become a prime destination, where visitors will stay several days and commute to other areas.

The future for Orange County tourism looks bright, when you ponder the possibilities of an international airport coupled with a new companion theme park to Disneyland and a first-class convention center.

This project models the value in economic terms that public-private partnerships can achieve. It prepares this county to be the future beneficiary of national and international trade investments and tourism revenue.

It’s a model that other cities and businesses should explore as they address business expansion and retention in their areas.