Huge Investment Taking Place in Anaheim

ANAHEIM, CA—About $6 billion in investment is coming to Anaheim around the city’s world-famous theme parks and in and around Angel Stadium of Anaheim .

Rendering of 1700 South Harbor, a 580-room hotel by the Wincome Group.

The investment includes the addition of Stars Wars-themed land at Disneyland Park , four new luxury hotels and other lodging, expansion of the Anaheim Convention Center , plus new homes, shopping, dining, offices and hotels at the Platinum Triangle around Angel Stadium .  This level of investment in Anaheim is among the largest in the U.S. and reflects ongoing planning by the city of Anaheim to enhance its visitor industry on a global scale and to create an urban village built around sports, entertainment, jobs and public transit. More than $3.5 billion in investment is coming to the Anaheim Resort District , a 1,100-acre area that includes the Disney Resort, Anaheim Convention Center and hotels. In July alone, the city of Anaheim cleared the way for three new luxury hotels: ·        1700 South Harbor — a 580-room hotel by the Wincome Group. The hotel will feature two signature restaurants, a rooftop bar with panoramic views of Disneyland fireworks, the coast and mountains, as well as 50,000 square feet of meeting space. ·        1401 Disneyland Drive — a 700-room hotel from Walt Disney Parks and Resorts with a signature rooftop restaurant and terrace for watching fireworks and views of Star Wars-themed lands under construction at Disneyland Park. ·        1030 W. Katella Ave. — a 634-room hotel, also from Wincome Group, will feature a signature restaurant. 42,000-square-feet of meeting space will be situated steps from the Anaheim Convention Center. Naming and design details of the properties are still to be announced. “These high-end accommodations ensure a full spectrum of hotel choices for the millions of new visitors coming to the expanded convention center, or to enjoy the magic of Disney, including the new Star Wars attraction opening late 2018 or early 2019,” said John Woodhead , director of community & economic development for the city of Anaheim. “The luxury hotel market is growing quickly and dramatically, and these new properties help secure Anaheim’s place on the map of world-wide destinations, while reaping the rewards of investments throughout the city.” With more than 30 million visitors annually, Anaheim today has just two AAA-designated, four-diamond hotels: Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and the Disneyland Hotel —the only major US visitor market with so few luxury hotels. The demand and opportunity for four-diamond hospitality is great. AAA awards the elite rating to luxury hotels with spas, restaurants and other amenities exhibiting a high level of customer service and notable interior and exterior design. The three new luxury hotels planned for Anaheim join a previously approved, 466-room JW Marriott near the Disneyland Resort, an expected four-diamond property likely to begin construction in 2017. Together, the four luxury hotels will bring nearly 2,380 upscale rooms to the Anaheim Resort District, which also offers a wide variety of convention, business, leisure and family hotel options. Destination Investment In all, more than $3.5 billion is being invested in the Anaheim Resort, surpassing the area’s major theme park, hotel and infrastructure expansion of the late 1990s. Making up the investment are new hotels ($1.92 billion); the addition of Star Wars-themed lands to Disneyland Park and the building of a parking structure, transit hub and pedestrian bridge; ($1.5 billion); and the expansion of the Anaheim Convention Center ($190 million). In 2015, the Anaheim Convention Center broke ground on the addition of 200,000 square feet of flexible meeting space along Katella Avenue , just across from the Disney theme parks and steps from one of Anaheim’s planned luxury hotels. The expansion allows the Anaheim Convention Center to grow with its biggest shows and to meet industry demands for space that can serve a variety of functions, including specialized conferences, break-out sessions, workshops and galas. New luxury hotels also support the convention center’s goal of attracting medical, legal, technology and other specialized meetings where attendees seek luxury accommodations within walking distance. The largest on the West Coast, Anaheim Convention Center hosts more than 1 million visitors each year. The center’s expansion and the addition of new hotels ensure Anaheim will grow with its largest shows. “We currently utilize every hotel in and around Anaheim, and as we grow along with the expansion, our members and attendees will need more — it’s a no-brainer really,” said Cindy Sample , director of trade show operations for NAMM, the music industry’s biggest gathering and the largest trade show hosted by the Anaheim Convention Center. “Anaheim is off balance with the majority of hotels being limited-service properties, so there is a serious need for the right mix of higher-end hotels, similar to what most desirable convention cities provide. Platinum Triangle and CtrCity Anaheim Just to the east of the Disney Resort, some $2.34 billion in investment is taking place or is planned in the Platinum Triangle, an 820-acre area including Angel Stadium, Honda Center , City National Grove of Anaheim and ARTIC , the region’s newest transit hub. The area, once home to warehouses and other industrial uses, is re-emerging as exciting place to live, work and play, similar to destinations such as L.A. LIVE in downtown Los Angeles and the East Village in downtown San Diego . Across from Angel Stadium, work is underway on A-Town Metro , a mix of condominiums, apartments, shopping, dining and park space. Next door, Jefferson Stadium Park calls for more than 1,000 apartments and nearly 10,000 square feet of retail directly across from the stadium. While still in the planning process, LT Platinum Center stands to further transform the Platinum Triangle with 442,000 square feet of retail, 77,000 square feet of office space, 340 condos and apartments and a 200-room hotel. The investment in the Platinum Triangle and Anaheim Resort complement the popularity of Anaheim destinations including the city’s revitalized downtown, known as CtrCity Anaheim . It includes The Packing House, a food hall in a restored 1919 Sunkist citrus-packing building that recently was awarded a rare placement on the National Register of Historic Places. The travel industry has welcomed the success of the Packing District and CtrCity. The visitor and convention bureau Visit Anaheim recently launched a push to expand tourism beyond Disneyland. And CtrCity is engaged in an ambitious revitalization and placemaking campaign , with new residential, retail and office development taking place or in the works.