By Bonnie Malkin
The Sydney Morning Herald
Western Sydney could house a new outpost of the Disney empire, with an amusement park and resort modelled on those overseas.
Disney said it was looking at international sites for a theme park, including 30 hectares at Prospect, near Blacktown.
“We are evaluating different markets around the world as part of our growth strategy,” a spokeswoman for the US company said.
If Disney develops the Prospect site, it will be its first in the southern hemisphere.
However, the spokeswoman said that no decision had been made about the site, which the State Government released for development as a zoo, water park or amusement park last Monday.
It was unlikely anything would be considered before September, when Disney opened an amusement park in Hong Kong, she said.
Last week, the Minister for Western Sydney, Diane Beamer, invited expressions of interest in the Prospect site, which is within a 27-kilometre stretch of parklands.
She said documents had been sent out in answer to 22 expressions of interest so far.
“Expressions of interest closes on March 24 and the department will be assessing them from that date,” she said.
Ms Beamer had no comment on whether Disney had made one of those 22 requests. The Mayor of Blacktown, Leo Kelly, also had no comment.
Western Sydney’s first big amusement park, Australia’s Wonderland, closed in April last year because of declining patronage and a crumbling infrastructure
