Disneyland Wants a $200 Million Tax Break for a New Hotel

Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait says there is no legitimate reason to give Disney the tax break.

1 minute read

June 26, 2016, 9:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Disneyland Hotel

Ken Wolter / Shutterstock

Adam Elmahrek reports: "When Disneyland officials unveiled plans this week for a massive new luxury hotel in Anaheim, they also applied for a room-tax subsidy worth well over $200 million, which would be the largest hotel tax subsidy in the city’s history."

The proposal would build a 700-room, 900,000-square-foot hotel on a parking lot adjacent to the hotel, according to Elmahrek.

The subsidy request was made through channels created by the city's hotel development incentive program, "which allows developers to collect 70 percent of the room taxes generated over 20 years by luxury hotels." Elmahrek shares the math for the Disney proposal, which would generate $14.7 million in room tax revenue, in the first year of operation. Thus, $10.3 million "would be rebated back to Disneyland."

Mayor Tom Tait is quoted in the article describing Disneyland's request as "insane." 

Thursday, June 9, 2016 in Voice of Orange County

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Aerial view of heavily damaged mobile homes after a hurricane in Florida.

Florida Home Insurers Disproportionately Dropping Low-Income Households

Non-renewal rates are highest in inland counties, not the coastal areas most immediately vulnerable to storms.

15 minutes ago - Inside Climate News

"Altadena - Not For Sale" yard sign in front of burned down house after Eaton Fire in Altadena, California in January 2025.

Half of Post-Fire Altadena Home Sales Were to Corporations

Large investors are quietly buying up dozens of properties in Altadena, California, where a devastating wildfire destroyed more than 6,000 homes in January.

July 7 - Dwell

Dense multistory residential buildings in hilly San Francisco, California.

Opinion: What San Francisco’s Proposed ‘Family Zoning’ Could Really Mean

Mayor Lurie is using ‘family zoning’ to encourage denser development and upzoning — but could the concept actually foster community and more human-scale public spaces?

July 7 - The San Francisco Standard

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA