The Virginian-Pilot 
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Monday, October 3, 1994                TAG: 9410030064
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 
DATELINE: RICHMOND                           LENGTH: Short :   43 lines

SOME THINK DISNEY WILL DROP PARK PLAN

While the Walt Disney Co. insists it still wants to build an American history-based theme park in Virginia, some observers predict the company will drop the project altogether.

Disney announced abruptly last week that it was abandoning a site near the Prince William County town of Haymarket for its $625 million theme park project. Historians and environmentalists had attacked Disney's America since it was announced last November, arguing that the development would create pollution and traffic problems in a region rich with history.

Stephen Fuller, a professor at the Institute of Public Policy at George Mason University, thinks Disney is more interested now in concentrating on its highly-profitable animated movie business than the theme park industry. ``I wouldn't be surprised if Disney never builds in Virginia or anywhere else,'' Fuller said. ``The return on an investment like `The Lion King' in six months is better than the return on a theme park in 15 years. Why would you want to do a theme park?''

Disney officials say they are committed to the project and want the park built in Northern Virginia. Suitors from other Virginia communities and other states quickly formed for the project, but Disney officials are regrouping before beginning a new site search, spokeswoman Claudia Peters said.

If Disney does proceed with its plans, some opponents of the Haymarket project doubt it will be of the same scale as that project. The General Assembly approved a $163 million incentives package for the Prince William County project.

``I think they could probably find sites for just a theme park but I'm doubtful they could find a large site for a huge development to do around a theme park,'' said Robert Elliott, an attorney for a citizens group that filed three lawsuits against Disney's America.

KEYWORDS: DISNEY'S AMERICA by CNB