Disney's Port City Gamble: How Long Beach Lost Out on a $2 Billion Theme Park

The Walt Disney Company had a problem in its first three decades, it didn't own the Disneyland Hotel. To fix this, CEO Michael Eisner turned to Long Beach, California, where he proposed building Port Disney, a massive theme park complex that would include DisneySea, a nautical-themed park.

Eisner envisioned a $2 billion development with a marina, a port for Disney ships, and five hotels with nearly 4,000 rooms. The project was expected to generate thousands of jobs and bring in 13 million tourists annually, resulting in $47 million in tax revenue for Long Beach and $3 billion in economic activity for Southern California.

However, local and state opposition thwarted the plans, leading Eisner to announce that either Long Beach would get Port Disney or Anaheim would get a second gate, WestCot. Long Beach Mayor Fred Hunter quickly said 'yes' to the project, but the city's response was more measured. 'We will go as far as we have to go as long as it makes economic sense,' said City Councilman Evan Anderson Braude.

The city faced significant challenges in accommodating the massive influx of tourists, including filling in a portion of the coastline and making infrastructure upgrades. The project ultimately fell through due to environmental concerns and opposition from government factions and environmental groups.