Anaheim State of the City Speech - March 5th, 2019 - Interesting Comments including Gondala's

[Darkbeer1]

It has been a VERY busy last few days, a lot of things have been revealed today that I have been helping out on, but was surprised by the Mayor's comments on this.

http://anaheim.net/DocumentCenter/View/25213/2019-Anaheim-State-of-the-City

>Transit

As we continue to see new investment and new development in both The Anaheim Resort and the Platinum Triangle, it is time to take a fresh look at all options to foster connectivity and mobility between these two economic powerhouses. Transportation and mobility connections continue to evolve. It is time we update our thinking and our knowledge on all the options. Los Angeles is exploring a monorail to connect the San Fernando Valley, West Los Angeles and Los Angeles International Airport.

Anaheim knows something about monorails.

Dallas and Dubai are making sure every rooftop is Uber Air ready for autonomous drone pods.

Up the freeway, Elon Musk’s Boring Co. is drilling a rapid-transit test tunnel for fast-moving pods.

And in Orlando, Fla., Disney is testing gondola systems to connect hotels to theme parks. They can carry enough passengers to replace a six-lane roadway. There are so many options.

We don’t need to stick to any one system.

We just know that between our thriving resort and the incredible sports and entertainment district that will come from the investment we expect soon in the Platinum Triangle, we need a connection.<<

State of the City: Anaheim mayor pledges $250 million neighborhood investment

In Harry Sidhu’s first big speech, he announced residents’ committees that will vet community needs and a task force to consider visitor transit options.

www.ocregister.com

>

Sidhu’s other big initiative of the speech was a task force to look at transit options to move people between the Anaheim Resort District’s theme parks, hotels and convention center, and the Platinum Triangle, home to the Honda Center, Angel Stadium and eventually, new stores, restaurants and entertainment venues.


As potential ideas to explore, Sidhu named Tesla founder Elon Musk’s plan for underground tunnel transit, an Uber project to offer on-demand drone flights, and Disney’s Skyliner, a gondola system to traverse Walt Disney World Resort.


“Transportation and mobility connections continue to evolve,” Sidhu said. “It is time we update our thinking and our knowledge on all the options.”


Ward was more skeptical about the push to connect the resort district and Platinum Triangle.


“There aren’t enough passengers to fill buses,” she said. “What’s the need here? Where’s the ridership?”


A city fact sheet on the transit task force noted it would not consider revisiting prior plans for a streetcar, which were quashed by a previous City Council.


How the city will recruit, vet and appoint members for the transit task force and Anaheim First resident advisory boards will be announced in coming weeks.<<

A lot more to share from today, Ended up in a prime table and talked to too many folks that think I know stuff.... Hopefully I fooled them

 

[Darkbeer1]

There is a video of the speech that will be placed online in the next few days, and has a lot of pre-taped packages, including one from the Disneyland Resort, not much new, but still would be worth watching, I will post it when available.

So here are parts of the speech related to Disneyland.

>2018 was a strong year for Anaheim.

I want to extend my appreciation to our former mayors and council members and our city staff, because it is due to their hard work that we have achieved so much.

In 2018, the economic impact from our conventions was more than $1.5 billion.

We had 24.4 million visitors to our city — a record-setting number.

Visitors to Anaheim in Orange County spent $9 billion.

We had 168,700 jobs in the city in 2018, up by almost 3,000 jobs from 2017.

More than 1 million square feet of office investment occurred last year, marking an increase of 27 percent from the prior year.

People want to be here and be part of our success. <<

>The Anaheim Resort

We have so many strong industries in the city — especially our tourism industry. This industry brought to so much to Anaheim in 2018. It’s no wonder we are one of the top 20 places to visit in the world.

Now, thanks to investment by Wincome Group and the partnership of Prospera and O’Connell Hotels, Anaheim will soon have two brand new four-diamond hotels — the first ones built since Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa opened more than 20 years ago.

Together with the recent expansion of the Anaheim Convention Center, these hotels will bring more high-end conventions to Anaheim — generating more dollars for local businesses and more tax revenue to invest in our neighborhoods.

Paul Sanford. Bill O’Connell. Ajesh Patel. Thank you for investing hundreds of millions of dollars in Anaheim and creating almost 1,000 permanent jobs.

I look forward next year to the grand openings at The Westin Anaheim Resort and the JW Marriott Anaheim Resort District.



Disney

Of course, the most exciting investment happening in the resort comes from a galaxy far, far away.

With their newly announced contribution to the Orange County Housing Trust, the Disneyland Resort has set the example for how public-private partnerships can help to address the most pressing issues our community faces.

I am grateful for their leadership as well as the Orange County Business Council for stepping up to the plate.

Thank you, president of Disneyland Resort, Josh D’Amaro.

As you can see, there is a lot happening in Anaheim. Billions of dollars in investment.<<

 

[Darkbeer1]

>For all of our districts, all of our neighborhoods and all of our residents, I want them to know that in Anaheim, they are first.

Looking ahead, our city does face challenges. Neighborhood investment, paying down our pension obligations and more. We will rise to those challenges as we always have. But we can do even more when partners such as the Disneyland Resort join with the Orange County Housing Trust to help us tackle tough issues.

We can do more when economic development has a purpose.

We can do more when the benefits of investment are felt here in Anaheim.

That means not only investing revenue back into our neighborhoods, but also that the jobs created lift up our people.

Our friends in the building trades have said that they want to see the official city bird of Anaheim be the crane. I love that.

As an engineer and builder by profession, I know that the men and women who work with their hands and tools to build these projects earn good wages and good benefits. We want as many of these jobs as possible to go to our local residents.

And to the workers in our hospitality industry, these are important jobs that help make Anaheim go. With the strength of investment in the resort, hotel workers are in high demand, and they are able to earn the highest wages they have ever received.

When coupled with education benefits and job training, they can launch incredible careers.

I truly appreciate new initiatives such as Disney’s Aspire program in which Disney cast members can see a whole career ahead of them from their very first job in the resort. Until perhaps one day, they could have your job, Josh.

I want to see more of these education, training and local hiring programs in the resort, and with employers throughout the city.

Economic growth.

Job training.

Attainable housing.

Public safety.

New mobility options.

Investing in neighborhoods.

The key to Anaheim’s future.

The key to making all our visions real is putting our residents first. For many years, the promise of Anaheim has been that as our economy thrives, our people will thrive with it. We have done a good job of meeting this promise, but we can do better.

We will do better.

We aim for nothing less than a new Golden Age for Anaheim.

We will work to help every Anaheim resident discover their own American Dream, so that Anaheim truly is the city that empowers the American Dream.

I ask you all to work with me to make this happen.

Thank you for joining me today. God bless you, and our great city.<<

 

[Darkbeer1]

The project that I have been involved in is the focus on all the neighborhoods in the city, to make sure the Economic Engine of the Resort Area is felt city wide, every part of it. That is why I was invited to join S.O.A.R., to get that message out. The Chamber of Commerce has decided that is a key issue, one to change the tone from "Disney is Evil" to one that sees All the businesses all over Anaheim wants to make the city better, to create more jobs, to improve the schools, parks and the community. Alas, it has been something that has been happening for at least 65 years.

From the OC Register article.

> Anaheim will pump as much as $250 million over 10 years into roads, public safety and other infrastructure needs of its neighborhoods, with a $20 million commitment for the 2019-20 fiscal year, Mayor Harry Sidhu said Tuesday, March 5.

The pledge came in Sidhu’s first State of the City address, given to about 860 people at the City National Grove of Anaheim and sponsored by the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce.

To figure out how the money would be best spent, Sidhu is joining and expanding a chamber initiative called “Anaheim First,” which will create resident commissions in each of the city’s six voting districts. The commissions will discuss neighborhood needs, vet project ideas and make recommendations to the City Council.


A $20 million chunk planned for fiscal 2019-20 would come from existing city funds, state transportation money and borrowing against an over-funded reserve, according to city information. Beyond that, Sidhu said, resources are expected to come from “new city revenue” generated by economic development, such as the draw to the resort area that Disneyland’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opening is expected to have, and two luxury hotels set to open in 2020.


“Investing in our neighborhoods cannot be a vague promise,” Sidhu said. “It must be a real commitment. And from today forward, it will be.”<<

I know there will be a lot of work to be done, but if it improves the lives of my neighbors and community, well, that is the goal. And so happy I have a lot of folks willing to help me.

 

[britain]

So... is this good news? C’mon @Darkbeer1 ! Do the thinking for me here!

 

[DrAlice]

Transportation. Hmm... So does this mean the eastern gateway is back on the table, with a people mover over Harbor Blvd.?! That's how I'm choosing to interpret this. (This is how rumors get started. haha)

 

[Darkbeer1]

Transportation. Hmm... So does this mean the eastern gateway is back on the table, with a people mover over Harbor Blvd.?! That's how I'm choosing to interpret this. (This is how rumors get started. haha)

Try ARTIC (Train Station next to Angel Stadium and the Honda Center) to the Convention Center.

And as for the Eastern Gateway, I have said for close to a year it was going to come back. Tonight, the new members of the Planning Commission were appointed, and you should hear about it in a revised proposal by Summer.

 

[Darkbeer1]

So... is this good news? C’mon @Darkbeer1 ! Do the thinking for me here!

What is good news? A lot was placed on the Table this afternoon, and I am still reeling for trying to explain what happened to my wife.

The one issue I have is the Transit Pipe Dream. We are not going to have Uber Flying Drone transit in the next ten years. I hope to get onto the new committee so we can focus on a system that will match the needs for the area in a cost efficient manner.

Who knows, maybe a Gondola system that goes in a straight line from ARTIC to the North end of the Convention Center (South end of the DLR) could work.

 

[britain]

What is good news? A lot was placed on the Table this afternoon, and I am still reeling for trying to explain what happened to my wife.

The one issue I have is the Transit Pipe Dream. We are not going to have Uber Flying Drone transit in the next ten years. I hope to get onto the new committee so we can focus on a system that will match the needs for the area in a cost efficient manner.

Who knows, maybe a Gondola system that goes in a straight line from ARTIC to the North end of the Convention Center (South end of the DLR) could work.

Continuously-loading systems have their appeal.

 

[Darkbeer1]

Continuously-loading systems have their appeal.

Yes, plenty of options to consider, and what happens with Angel Stadium is a key component. Also, the Olympics in less than 10 years is a big factor.

What the solution is will require a lot of through research and constructive thinking. I can't answer that tonight, or tomorrow. Hopefully a good answer will happen after things sort out.