This weekend, Disney electrified the entertainment and tourism world be unveiling plans at this past weekends D23 convention for a new, 14-acre addition to the Disneyland Resort: Star Wars Land.
Disney purchased the iconic science fiction mythology from creator George Lucas in 2012, and Star Wars Land seeks to create an immersive world consisting of favorite elements of the far-flung saga, including a Millenium Falcon attraction and the Mos Eisley Cantina. [Disney will also build a Star Wars Land at its Walt Disney World property in Orlando, Florida.]
From the Disney Parks Blog:
Ambitious plans to bring Star Wars to life in the two parks include creating Disney’s largest single-themed land expansions ever at 14-acres each, transporting guests to a never-before-seen planet, a remote trading port and one of the last stops before wild space where Star Wars characters and their stories come to life.
“I am thrilled to announce the next chapter in the long and exciting history between Disney Parks and Star Wars,” said Iger. “We are creating a jaw-dropping new world that represents our largest single themed land expansion ever. These new lands at Disneyland and Walt Disney World will transport guests to a whole new Star Wars planet, including an epic Star Wars adventure that puts you in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance.”
These authentic lands will have two signature attractions, including the ability to take the controls of one of the most recognizable ships in the galaxy, the Millennium Falcon, on a customized secret mission, and an epic Star Wars adventure that puts guests in the middle of a climactic battle.
The LA Times reports:
The new land is targeted to replace Disneyland’s Big Thunder Ranch and take over backstage areas currently not accessible to guests, a company spokesperson said, adding that speculation “Star Wars” would replace or impinge on Mickey’s Toontown was unfounded.”
Dusty Sage, the founder of the Disney discussion site Micechat, predicted that the new lands will dwarf the impact that Harry Potter attractions had for Universal.
“People will travel from around the world to go to a ‘Star Wars’ land,” Sage said.
Groundbreaking will be in 2017.
Fleshes Out Expansion Promised In Exchange For Gate Tax Barrier
The announcement fleshed out the ambitious $1.5 billion investment Disney promised to make in the Disneyland Resort in exchange for a development agreement that basically negates the prospect of Anaheim imposing an entertainment tax on Disneyland visitors for 30 years. Actually, that policy has been in place since 1996; the agreement approved this July extends the “gate tax ban.”
Members of the Anaheim City Council majority, which has consistently supported policies keyed toward economic development in the Anaheim Resort and in the rest of the city, were celebratory and see this as vindication of the “Anaheim Way” (from the OC Register):
Disney officials said that the threat of a ticket tax has only been raised in Anaheim, and not in Florida or any of the other areas where Disney operates theme parks worldwide. At the time the ban was approved, Disney officials said they believed a ticket tax would hurt attendance, guest spending and the company’s ability to “significantly invest” in the theme parks.
“This is a proven policy that has worked very successfully in Anaheim,” Councilwoman Kris Murray said. “Disney didn’t ask for any public assistance, and this expansion is not costing the residents a single dollar.”
Opponents of the agreement continue to be…opposed:
“I believe Disney would have built this new land (in Anaheim) regardless, because it’s in their best interest to do it,” Mayor Tom Tait, who opposed the ticket-tax ban along with Councilman James Vanderbilt, said on Sunday.
“No other company in this country has a 45-year exemption from any types of taxes,” Tait said. “Clearly, this wasn’t necessary, given that Walt Disney World doesn’t have the same deal, but the same investment is being made there.”
That’s a misleading statement that gives the impression the Disneyland Resort is being exempted from all taxes, which is untrue. This wrong-headed assertion also being peddled by left-wing activist and Tait ally Jose Moreno, along with his inflammatory “corporate riot” war cry. The reality is Disney will continue to be Anaheim’s largest taxpayer; furthermore, any entertainment tax would not be levied on Disney but on those good people visiting the Disneyland Resort.
The Looming Prospect of Tax-Friendly City Councils
What is left unmentioned by opponents of this pro-economic growth agreement, and un-examined by the media, is the long-term political context in which Disney sought to continue the the entertainment tax “ban”: the 2016 shift from a five-member city council elected at-large to a seven-member council elected by-district will most likely produce a Democratic-majority council naturally inclined to new and higher taxes. This shift was primarily bankrolled by militant unions and wealthy left-wing donors from the San Francisco Bay Area who are all about sticking it to Corporate America.
This is the real source of Moreno’s fury: it puts a whole lot of other people’s money out of the reach of future progressive Anaheim councilmembers with visions of creating a little Los Angeles on the Santa Ana River – and that takes tax revenue and lots of it. Only a fool thinks a gate tax would stay at a $1 a person.
Disney no doubt perceives the likely left-ward shift of Anaheim political landscape and has constructed an anti-tax firewall to protect its visitors from the tax hunger of future Democratic council majorities. The irony is Disney played a role in creating this future by supporting the shift to by-district elections.
Mayor Tait’s opposition is also ironic given his high profile support for public pension reform. Rather than enacting tough-but-necessary reforms to rein in pension costs, majority-Democrat Anaheim City Councils of the near future would instead be likely to place an entertainment tax on the ballot – with Orange County Employees Association and other unions funding the campaign. In other words, the development agreement with Disney helps maintain the pressure for reining in pensions and spending, while a gate tax would eliminate such pressure. When given a choice between controlling spending and raising taxes, elected bodies with Democratic majorities will choose the latter.
Opponents of the Disney development agreement will continue to wail and gnash their teeth, but the reality is the pact is a big win for Anaheim and Orange County, and a big win for Disney.
Really? They decided to do this only due to the “no gate tax” pact — rather than because they will make enough money off of it (with or without a gate tax) that it would make Scrooge McDuck molt? How amazing that they put it together so quickly!
Thanks (as usual) for giving us insight as to what the City’s and Disney’s arguments would be upon challenge.
At the end of the day, Greg, when we cut through your fog of verbiage, you’re just a left-wing Democrat who can’t stand having a stream of tax revenue placed beyond the hands of government for a period of time.
At both the beginning and end of the day, Matt, I’m someone who has read enough City documents in recent years to know what favors Disney has gotten from the City through this bought-off Council and Staff. As they’re borrowing money from future Anaheim residents, to benefit both Disney and themselves, I want to ensure that Disney is positioned to pay back what they siphoned off once it’s needed.
Don’t dress up your avarice as conservative political philosophy, you’re insulting actual conservative political philosophers who weren’t hired hacks.
Yes, Greg – we all know you’re The Smartest Man In Orange County. And you wouldn’t know actual conservatism if it hit you in the head.
A lot of actual conservatives think that my actions in Anaheim are quite consistent with actual conservatism.
By the way, I express my opinions just as you express your opinions. Does that mean that you are claiming to be the Smartest Person in the Room too? Or is that just sophistry and demagoguery on your part? (Hint: the answer to the latter question is “yes.”)
The difference, Greg, is you aren’t satisfied with mere issue-oriented back-and-forth. Instead, you continually accuse people with whom you disagree of being corrupt, dishonest, crooks, on-the-take, members of a conspiracy, yada, yada, yada. You can’t argue without smearing, which betrays a lack of intellectual confidence.
Oh, I see your point.
The difference between you and me is that the people with whom I’m arguing actually are corrupt, dishonest, crooks, on-the-take, and probably members of a conspiracy. See, you’re not used to arguing with that sort of person, so you don’t know that it’s OK to say it if it’s true.
(Note: if I don’t know their names, I just presume that they’re working for Pringle. I think that that’s only fair.)
“the people with whom I’m arguing actually are corrupt, dishonest, crooks, on-the-take, and probably members of a conspiracy.”
Only in that over-active imagination of yours, Greg. Apparently, it is only necessary for Commissar Diamond to think someone is guilty in order for them to be guilty.
“if I don’t know their names, I just presume that they’re working for Pringle.”
In other words, for you, the absence of proof is actually proof that your conspiracy theories are true: “Since I have no actual evidence or information, I will fill in the blanks with my prejudices and theories.” Brilliant.
Does reading those documents confer an advanced degree in public finance? Please stop pretending you know better than the people who actually do this for a living.
Oh, you sweet child — does Debbie Moreno have an advanced degree in public finance? If so, can she get a refund?
Reading those documents would be less useful without the time I did working on white collar crime cases in New York. And, we CATER people get more help from more quarters than you apparently suspect. Whereas, YOU get talking points.
P.S. Who are you and what do you do? I’m guessing it’s not public finance. Possibly you’re a dental assistant. (I doubt that your hygienist material.)
Please see Matt post above about intellectual confidence
Surely, sweet child.
LIES,
You were a Junior associate. Lost in the shuffle Greg.
Please cite a single case where you worked WHITE COLLAR crime! I am confident because I know you are such a blowhard and narcissist that you would NEVER let that fact escape your resume.
How is it you can blog for what seems to be 20 hours per day (I counted 75 posts in 48 hours earlier this month, upwards of 26,000 words!) and work? Do you receive compensation for your activism? Do you simply disregard everything else in the name of CATER?
Is Greg Diamond a PROFESSIONAL blogger? Is he paid to represent certain views. Which political figure owns Greg Diamond’s home that it is protected by a law designed to shield elected officials.
The hole is closing Greg………..
Maybe you can get a refund from Columbia you jerk. You’re a lousy lawyer
Oh!!! Anonymous coward tried to hurt my feelings!
This project is going to generate HUNDREDS of high paying construction jobs for years to come. It is also going to help the uneducated, unskilled migrant population Greg likes to Champion.
Consider the demo of the Sybron and the INS buildings alone That is a several month project alone. These laborers are going have good steady work. So will the food truck fry cooks feeding them.
There is another opportunity for the poverty stricken: go to school, sharpen your english skills, learn a trade. Thats how you better your future. Not by a free hand out at the expense of others.
You are looking ten years minimum of construction and service jobs in the face and saying. “Nah, we want the free hand-out”
Disney planned to do the project without the gate tax bar. They’re going to do the project because it will be like printing money, not because of any Council action.
But that was a pretty nice speech. Who wrote it?
Is that right? Did Bob Iger tell you that?
Yes, I did.
Mostly because it’s a simple question of math. No CEO in world history has ever turned down a project because a proposed tax might destroy 0.001% of projected revenue increases.
Oh, there you are, Mr. Iger!
Thank you for stopping by and explaining Management 101.
Yes. By his behaviors.
Believe or not, Mr. Diamond I did. I actually own a computer AND a tablet. Sure I dpeak Spanish, but surprise……I also speak english. I, incredibly went to school. I learned among other things that the best way to get killed was to shoot at police officers with a stolen firearm. To avoid prison toting around a loaded shotgun is NOT a good plan.
You are incredibly condesending. Suggesting that because I have Latin surname I must have others “write for me”.
You once again avoid the long term POSITIVE benefits of this project, instead focusing on your CRAZY, EXTEMIST views that a gate tax is somehow needed or desired.
Heck, you don’t even live in Anaheim.
Look, you’re completely full of it. I have no reason to think that that is your last name, rather than your being one of the people who suddenly pop up here and on Liberal OC to fling poop and then fade away. If it is your last name, then you should understand that your race baiting her is absurd. I’m not writing anything here because you’re Latino — I believe that you most likely are not — but because you’re just another one of the deliberate obfuscators and prevaricators that flourish here under fake names.
The notion that a 3% gate tax — $3 per ticket, or $12 for a family of 4 out of what may be a $4,000 vacation — is CRAZY and EXTREMIST just shows how far off base you are. But thank you for confirming my stereotypes — NOT of Latinos, of course, but of vendidos.
Your complaint about anonymous commenters ;lacks credibility because you only complain about the ones with contrary opinions. “Randy Roddy” or “Bob Iger” or “Biff” never feel your self-righteous wrath.
I have no idea who any of them are (except Bob Iger, and I can’t recall seeing anyone use “Bob Iger” as a pseudonym.) And I have argued with “Biff” before, though I don’t know whether it’s the same “Biff.”
Do they commit defamation or threaten people under cover of anonymity? That’s what I find repulsive. We do have our anonymous commenters at OJB, most of whose identities I don’t know, but if they do either of the above I either take it down or let it be known that I will upon complaint.
Note: if something is clearly a joke, and if it’s funny, it can usually stay. Sadly, your anonymous posters seem to have defective senses of humor.
I can accept your resonse. Just as the same I understand you to be rabble rouser who would support NAZI cause if it benefited you. As a matter of fact, you don’t know me nor I you other than our commentary.
What would it take for Greg Diamond to regonize me as a human being?
Would you like to meet in person? Can I choose the public place and time?
You are psychotic when it comes to dissention. It’s as if you don’t understand the internet.
What information would YOU require me to post to take me seriously? Would you be willing to do the same?
Avoid the fight Greg. Blame others. It sure beats the sh!t out of working for a living.
Sure, let’s meet in person. We can both bring our utility bills as well as two forms of ID. And then you can tell me why such a well-informed “person” as you only started commenting on the local blog(s) a week or so ago.
I’m skipping the rest of your comment — out of boredom.
“obfuscators and prevaricators” says the bloviating megalomaniac.
“Megalomaniac”?
I think that someone broke your thesaurus. If I were one of those, I’d be sucking up to the biggest corrupt wheeler-dealer in the county or something.
meg·a·lo·ma·ni·ac
ˌmeɡələˈmānēˌak/
noun
noun: megalomaniac; plural noun: megalomaniacs
1.
a person who is obsessed with their own power.
If I were assessed with obtaining power, I would be sucking up to Curt Pringle and Kris Murray like a remora.
And I’d have a spot on my local planning commission — or something.
Greg — a couple things from posts on your blog. The fundraiser for the Bruno statute was announced several weeks ago on Anaheim Buzz, so the event was not create to conflict with your climate change denial fundraiser.
Secondly, the report on the Moreno Jr. Case was released last year. To suggest the K9 was struck by friendly fire isn’t in evidence. http://www.theliberaloc.com/2014/11/24/39730/
You are the only one you suggest Moreno Jr shot the dog and then placed his hands up — without an iota of evidence. Please read the detailed report.
Created, not create
Good to know. I believe that that was still after ours was announced, but at a minimum that’s less unseemly. Can you post the URL?
The detailed report takes everything that the cops said at face value.
Read the news sometime and see how well that seems to be working across the country.
The bloviator lost his cool at the re-districting meeting when his plan got dissed Its on video. He’s threatening a lawsuit if he doesn’t get his way. Baby.
Uh … what? The Chuchua 4 map was one of the three public submissions selected for further consideration.
I don’t think that the judges are likely to do anything that would elicit a lawsuit. The Council — well, who knows?
By the way, what’s the time stamp on the video for where I supposedly “lost my cool”? I know that you’d like people to believe you without checking — but let’s have them check.
Or, Matt, maybe you can find out and post it.
Ode to Joy!!
Disney “keeps promise” by making…ANOTHER PROMISE!
ELECTRIFYING!!
And?
Announcing a new Taco Bell is opening on the corner would actually offer more tax revenue than the opening of Star Wars land, as an addition to an existing Disney property it is obligated under the old 1996 agreement to siphon off ALL of the increased tax revenue to pay for the LAST expansion that taxpayers are STILL covering. So unless someone is tolerant of the increasing crowds that keep many of the locals from renewing those Annual Passes, this story offers exactly zero interest for many of us. Enjoy the new entertainment venue, don’t ask taxpayers for another freaking nickel in public funding, period, and we will all leave each other alone.
Wait. No we won’t. Because frankly the documents provided by the City leave a LOT of unanswered questions about benefits we don’t seem to be collecting that are outlined in the 1996 agreement but not showing up in the City budget. So once the city accounts for benefits promised in the 1996 agreements, THEN we can all leave each other alone.
So Jamie Valdez, please enlighten us. How is the demo of two employers a good thing? I would guess that the INS building and Sybron Dental offer some decent jobs. Full time employment, a living wage, benefits. But let’s tear them down to put up a parking garage, where Disney will split up the full time workload into several part time jobs, thus relieving them of the obligation to pay actual benefits, and dumping the medical care of their part time staff onto the backs of California taxpayers through subsidized Obamacare. This is a step FORWARD into Anaheim’s bright shiny new future? The long term substance of employers paying a living wage is being swapped for the short term benefit of construction jobs, which will end, and we will see the same union guys show up at the next City Council meeting demanding some other government subsidized project using borrowed money. Forgive me for not throwing a block party.
Star Wars Land. Woo. Hooo.
Demoing a building doesn’t put an end to the building tenants. By your logic we could slash the size of the federal government simply by tearing down federal buildings. And even assuming you know what you are talking about regarding how Disney will allocate work hours, are you blaming Disney (or any business for that matter) for the results of Obamacare’s perverse incentives? Do you have a pathological need to pin any ill you possibly can on the county’s largest employer? Maybe CATER’s next forum could be a remedial economics course for the CATER board.
For someone so in tune to Anaheim, Ms. Ward seems to lack understanding of who Sybron (now Kerr) is and what their plans are.
“Lack of understanding” is Cynthia Ward’s middle name.
These people with all of their negative comments don’t speak for me or for my neighbors who are very excited about Disneys plans. My grandkids cannot wait to go. None of us want to pay higher taxes. This bluster is much ado about nothing. I am glad that my family doesn’t live with this much animosity and anger. It is clearly misplaced.
It’s only a matter of time before the poor souls on Anna Drive and the other tough neighborhoods realize they are being used by Greg, Dr. Jose “the good one” Moreno, Los Amigo’s and the other poverty pimps.
A gate tax oppresses these very people who strive to improve their lives through hard work and “bootstrapping” like generations of Americans before them. But, the efforts of these “activists” actually prohibit advancement, encourages them to not work harder, learn English, get an education etc.
I will again use Greg’s only known client Yesena Roja’s as an example, a citizen, who serves on juries, works and went to High School here, can not type a simple sentence in English. The activist Roja’s conducts her meetings in Spanish, WHY DOES she help the people GROW and assimilate so they can move to places like Garden Grove, Irvine and God willing BREA. Greg and his brother-in-law another Democratic activist recently asked for help for Roja’s. This guy lives in a Million Dollar home in the Brea Hills! I think he could bounce down a buck or two…….
This all about keeping the oppressed oppressed and keeping them silient. Then the SIEU and Jose Moreno can look like hero’s bringing them GATE TAX cash for NOTHING.
I would offer this: The actions of these “activists” set back advancement of Latino’s 25 years.
Thanks. We’ll be asking candidates (in at least some of the districts) whether they endorse the views that you’re afraid to express under your name.
You don’t get to hear the term “poverty pimps” these days anymore — at least outside of white supremacist circle. (Google shows only 84 hits for the term in the past month.)
Hey, Matt — does your creature here speak for you? Do you think he speaks for the Council?
Greg, the last time I heard the term “poverty pimps,” it was used by one of your friends to refer to some other local progressive politicos whom you esteem.
Furthermore, Who is CATER is not my creature and speaks only for himself/herself. That you can’t resist going tit-for-tat with WIC is your problem, don’t try sucking me into this silly scrum.
I suppose someone will say that if I don’t respond to the rest of the post that means that I don’t deny it. I’m just going to issue a broad-brush denial of everything until someone with a name is willing to stand by any of these claims. I do think that your treatment of Yesenia is especially scummy — which is why you have to put your head under a pointy white hood to say it. Whoever you are.
Hey Diamond says they had 50 people attend the CATER event last night. Subtract the freeloaders and expenses for renting the auditorium, and CATER made $37
Shall we bet $37 on whether we took in more or less than that amount?
Matt, will you stake your coward that amount for the bet? I realize that you aren’t going to identify him, but I’ll bet that you could figure out how to collect from him. (Or, if not, then just say so.)
I believe the Bruno fundraiser had significantly more attendees and raised a lot more money. But tell me again how CATER reflects the views of a majority of Anaheim’s citizens. I’ll wait
Yeah Dan, I would guess that playing BINGO to raise funds for the warm fuzzy dog idol would draw more people than paying to watch scientists discuss the end of the world as we know it. Brilliant observation. Did you also include the comps for Chamber Ambassadors and others the Chamber let in for free when they realized their hastily conceived plan is really quite labor intensive and volunteers were not jumping into the opportunity to serve?
You don’t get it. You really, really don’t get it. Our concern for drawing attendance was to get info to the maximum number of residents possible, given the top notch professional speakers we were fortunate enough to engage. But the idea that CATER is some bizarre popularity contest exists only in your world, CATER doesn’t operate that way. We began CATER two years ago with the idea that a handful of us were tired of not being heard, we were tired of seeing violations of State law in failure to conduct open meetings or provide public records, tired of what sure looks like conflict of interest, and we decided that the handful of us would band together as a corporation and do the right thing. If others want to stand alongside of us, we welcome them, but becoming the 800 pound gorilla in Anaheim was not our intent, and we don’t need the approval of a large body of Anaheim residents in order to operate. Nor do we need that superficial and fleeting approval to prop up any misplaced sense of self worth.
I am glad to hear the Chamber had a successful evening, because while I usually detest the Chamber and their broken moral compass, for once they chose to do something that, no matter what the motive, provided the end result of a community benefit. Congrats on getting Anaheim one step closer to the graven image of a dog that will finally make the dog park so much more usable. Certainly during our routine visits with my fur-kids we use the area only begrudgingly, hanging our heads in shame at the lack of public artwork as we anxiously await the day that a bronze statue brings value to the property. I look forward to seeing the legally required documentation of the haul for the event.
CATER also had a good evening, what is wrong with being glad for both? We drew more people than we hoped for, given the short notice on a weeknight for a paid event, and not-so-sexy subject matter. Perhaps you had other expectations but we were thrilled to have enough people to justify the time and effort that our very professional speakers put into the event.
So everyone is happy, and personally I love that I get to live in a city where resident generosity stretches to cover at least 2 events, and i am sure there were many others in Anaheim last Thursday that we have not discussed. That is why Anaheim is a place that creates such a passion in her citizens, not because of a highly profitable corporate giant expanding their own property to make even more money, despite an agreement that prevents the General Fund from seeing an additional nickel of direct increase from Disney until we are done paying off the parking structure we are gifting to them. Anaheim is the great place it is because of the people who live here, work here, and visit here, and they came out in support of good things on Thursday, in a number of different venues. What is not to like about that?
P.S. I said that it was OVER 50. A hand count suggested that it was over 75, too. Double or nothing on 50? Matt, same questions to you as to your staking your misinformed miscreant.
I counted over 75 when I stopped because some were moving around. Hard to tell how many paid since many gave more than the 20 and I only collected a few of the freebie tickets we handed out at Los amigos. Do you want to claim to know who covered which expenses? Or how many larger donors kicked in? Thanks for your concern for CATER finances, but that is my job, and we have it covered.
Btw Just a note. I am the first to admit the subject matter is not going to draw a crowd of groupies any time soon. And yet….more people PAID to come to this event than showed up for free pizza and t shirts for the Chamber “keep the angels” hysteria festival. No, we don’t have anything to be ashamed of. What do you object to? That CATER took on a real issue by offering substantive and relevant discussion? Or that we were successful at it?
Y’all have a nice weekend.
A friend sent me this link to video of the event: http://livestream.com/accounts/2406741/events/4284626
The person shooting it pans around the auditorium. If there are 75 people there, then unicorns are real.
Wow, thanks for the link!
Some people arrived late; some left early. At one point, relatively early on, I counted 65 exactly (not counting those on stage.) Cynthia later counted 75 or 80. I don’t know that a single pan around the room would capture everyone who attended.
But anyway, thanks for allowing people to judge its content for itself! I’ll repost the link on a more reputable blog.
So 75 at $20 is $1500. Larger donors?! How big was the check from any member of the Tait family? You have larger donors?! Sure you do
Uh, yes we do. Not the Taits. Nice try though.
If they are actually a c4 we will see that informAtion in the 990. If they aren’t then they’re lying to everyone and we’ll never no.
Greg tries to incite people by calling them “COWARDS”, yet it is his friends that marched through the streets of Anaheim (where he does not live) smashing windows, lighting fires and attacking police. Oh yeah, they were wearing masks.
There are more than a couple occasions where you have threatened to “track down” and make people “pay”, we can presume you mean sue as a form of revenue for your family.
And by the way, there is NOTHIG remotely racist with the term “Poverty Pimps”. I am trying to help these people by encouraging them and donating through reputable charities, you are trying to divide and conquer. You are a race baiter, you’ve done it with your religion and you are doing it with people’s ethnicity.