Despite several wire reports to the contrary, yesterday's
ORLANDO SENTINEL reported that Disney Exec VP Stephen de Kanter's
prediction that the company may build a theme park in South
America "brought swift denial" at Disney headquarters in CA.
Disney spokesperson John Dreyer: "What Stephen told them is we
have no plans to build a park in South America, but if we were
ever to consider it, it wouldn't be until sometime in the next
century." De Kanter, in Chile at the time of his statement, was
quoted as saying the timing of a Latin American theme park would
depend on the performance of Euro Disneyland. Dreyer: "I am 100
percent certain we don't have any plans to build a park in South
America" (Susan Strother, ORLANDO SENTINEL, 12/14). Meanwhile,
Euro Disney officials announced yesterday that the park would cut
admission fees by about 20% as of April 1, 1995 (N.Y. TIMES,
12/15).
MICKEY'S TIME-SHARE: Disney is nearing completion of a deal
to build a major time-share condo project in Beaver Creek, CO.
The project, Disney's first venture in CO since it opened the now
defunct Celebrity Sports Center in Denver in 1960, calls for up
to 125 condo units valued at an estimated $35M. Disney officials
"emphasized that the time-share development would have none of
the entertainment or amusement uses that has made the company
internationally famous" (Steve Raabe, DENVER POST, 12/15).
