Now admittedly it's been a few years since I've bothered visiting Downtown Disney at WDW, but what would those two stores have to do with turning Pleasure Island into Hyperion Wharf? Isn't the Harley store in the Westside, and the Lego store in the Marketplace? Even if those two shops are on the Island, any landlord worth their jangling key ring would have a basic lease agreement that allows for construction or mall renovation to take place on nearby land without protest of the tenant.
If Mannequins and 8Trax and Rock N' Roll Beach Club and the Adventurers Club, etc. all closed years ago, what would stop Disney from getting Hyperion Wharf off the ground in their place if Landry's or any other restauranteur really did want to build and operate a restaurant (or six, or eight) in Hyperion Wharf?
I just checked YouTube and there's a 2 minute video from six months ago that is now a bit painful to watch. It features Keith Bradford as the President of Downtown Disney kickin' back for the camera and bragging about how cool Hyperion Wharf will be and how it will bring over a thousand new jobs to Central Florida.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsQNxIJw7fM
I'm thinking there's a pretty good story behind the scenes here involving some corporate intrigue and a healthy dose of drama and disappointment. Seriously, it's been six months since Keith Bradford put on his sport coat and announced this thing.... where is it?