Thursday, March 31, 2011

Disney, Woodlands Township Ink Land Deal


Texas-Themed Attraction Targets 2013 Grand Opening

Special to The Woodlands Villager

THE WOODLANDS, Texas – The Woodlands real estate community received a much needed boost this week when the Township announced that they closed on the sale of 1,300 acres to The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) for a planned Texas-themed attraction.

The land sale abuts the Spring Creek Greenway north of the newly developed Village of Creekside park, and would remain largely forested even after development, according to Township officials.

A new Texas-themed park, tentatively identified as “Frontierland Texas” could open as early as 2013, according to sources close to the negotiations. It would be Disney’s first new greenfield park construction

project in the US since 1971. Currently Disney operates theme parks in Florida and California in the United States, as well as parks in Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong.

“Our vision for The Woodlands is to serve as a world-class convention and visitor destination, and this partnership with Disney is one more step in that direction,” said Fran Price of the Woodlands Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We look forward to bringing the Disney Magic to America’s Hometown.”

Walt Disney Company officials were not immediately available for comment.

Both parties were characteristically tight-lipped during the negotiations, which have been rumored to be ongoing for several years. Only when the agreement had been signed and papers filed with Montgomery County officials did sources close to the deal go public.

A joint news conference hosted by The Woodlands Township Board of Directors and officials of The Walt Disney Company is slated for Monday morning at the Woodlands Waterway Marriott. Architectural drawings of the theme park attraction are expected to be unveiled.

For more information:

The Woodlands Township Newsroom

http://www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx

The Woodlands Villager

http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/woodlands/