Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 11, 1994 TAG: 9402110185
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
A subcommittee of the Senate Finance Committee voted 4-3 for a $1 state tax on tickets to Disney's America, a move park supporters said could kill the Walt Disney Co. deal. If the park drew its projected 6 million annual visitors, that would raise $6 million a year to pay off road bonds.
"This is just a fee to go over and see Mickey," said the subcommittee chairman, Sen. Elmo Cross, D-Hanover County.
Cross said he was concerned that theme parks already in Virginia did not get the $163 million in state aid that Allen wants to give Disney. One of those existing parks, Kings Dominion, is in Cross' district.
"If we're going to put forth that money to Disney, it's only fair that we try to get some recoupment of that investment," Cross said.
The subcommittee recommended cutting by $17 million the $142 million road-bond bill Allen has proposed for the park.
Money for worker training and tourism promotion makes up the rest of Allen's $163 million package.
The subcommittee voted 6-1 to send the amended bond bill to the Finance Committee, which will vote on it today.
Ken Stroupe, Allen's press secretary, said the governor will fight the ticket tax.
"Disney is saying it's a deal-killer," Stroupe said.
"If it stays in, they will walk," agreed Sen. Charles Colgan, D-Manassas, principal sponsor of the Disney package. Colgan said he would try to get the tax removed in the full committee or on the Senate floor.
Disney officials are concerned that even the modest tax sets a bad precedent, Colgan said. The state could be tempted to raise the tax later on, limiting Disney's control over its ticket prices.
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GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1994
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