Disney, on Monday, cleared its Disneyland expansion plan worth $1.9 billion over the next decade. However, it was met with hurdles. The Anaheim City Planning Commission voted 5-1 to approve the plan, thus sending the corporation’s DisneyForward plan to the full City Council, Deadline reported.
Over the coming decade, DisneyForward will be transforming Walt Disney’s original theme park adding mixed-use amenities and attractions.
In the meeting, the planning commission seemed all but set to send the deal forward after receiving rousing appreciation from union members, hoteliers, residents, Disneyland castmembers and Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock. However, an interruption by well-spoken public commenters against the project and questions from Commissioner Luisandres Perez sent the meeting into its sixth hour before the final vote was taken.
Disney hopes to have the project reviewed soon by the Anaheim City Council and receive approval before the end of 2024.
DisneylandForward made its debut in 2021. Two years later, Disney executives disclosed additional information regarding the initiative. This included insights from a Disney-sponsored economic analysis conducted by Cal State Fullerton. The study estimated that for each $1 billion Disney allocates towards enhancing and modernizing the resort, over 4,000 jobs would be created and $1.1 billion in economic output would be generated over a four-year construction phase.
Subsequently, as reported by the Los Angeles Times, this investment is projected to yield $253 million annually in economic output, $15 million in tax revenue, and the creation of 2,292 jobs.
Currently, as per Disney’s projections, the project will create 8,960 jobs during construction and 4,584 during operations. Potrock even promised that those construction jobs would be “100% union labor with a focus on hiring Anaheim residents and veterans.”
The development agreement would last until 2064. It is estimated that Disney would wind up spending $2.5 billion when work is complete.
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