Disney says it's not interested in Phila.

The prospect of Walt Disney Co. creating a multi-million dollar theme park at the Philadelphia Naval Yard is now dead in the water. According to Disney Development Co. Communications Manager Michael Johnson, Disney America has decided that it will not open a facility here under any conditions. "There's nothing to the Philadelphia possibility," Johnson said. "It's never been on the drawing board. There's nothing to any possible theme park or Disney America participation in that region of the country." Speculation that Philadelphia and Disney were discussing the possibility of Disney America coming to the Philadelphia Naval Yard originated in early October when City Councilman Joseph Vignola sent a letter formally asking Disney to build its newest theme park in Philadelphia. Vignola has now confirmed that Disney is not coming to the city. "All I know is that Disney is not going anywhere," Vignola said. "I think there is a very good opportunity we could get some major entertainment group here on our side of the Delaware River." And Terry Gillern, the city's deputy commerce director, said that Disney and the city were never involved in formal discussions. "I think negotiations would not be the right word," Gillern said. "I don't think we got into anything that would roughly approximate negotiations. I'm not sure if anyone from the city ever talked to Disney." Gillern said Disney "gave the proposal a look" and added that they would rather consider the metropolitan Washington/Virginia area. She also said the weather in Philadelphia is not conducive to a Disney operation. And she said theme parks do not create many "direct" jobs, but are beneficial to the tourism industry. Rather than a theme park, it appears the Naval Yard might be home to two private shipbuilding firms that would employ approximately 2,750 workers, Gillern said. The Disney America theme park and housing development -- originally slated to be built in Manassas, Va. -- was scrapped last September when environmentalists and landowners protested the proposal. In spite of these set-backs, Disney has not given up on their plan to construct the new complex, Johnson said. "The whole Disney America concept has gone back to the drawing boards to determine the best way to deal with that," he said. "Despite the setback from 1994 in the Virginia area, the Disney America concept is something that the company is very interested in portraying for the American consumer public." And Disney is still moving ahead with other developments. Last week, Disney announced plans for a new resort in Florida called the Disney Institute. According to Johnson, the Disney Institute will be an "intense hands-on vacation experience." Johnson said the facility will have recreational activities such as swimming, boating and food combined with seminars ranging from nutrition to French literature. "It is a very interesting concept. If we get enough people interested in 19th century art in France, then there will be a course for that," he said.

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