Developer Alters Plan for Site Next to Pond

A developer has officially withdrawn plans for an ambitious, 362,000-square-foot entertainment complex with a French Quarter theme next to the Pond of Anaheim.

The city’s Planning Commission accepted the request for withdrawal Monday from the property’s new owner, Burnett Development Corp. of Tustin.

Burnett bought the 23-acre property on South Douglass Road in July from Clayton Scarbrough Trust. It was formerly a mobile home park.

Burnett now is proposing 500,000 square feet of office space, a 175-room hotel, a food court, a sports club, retail shops and a day-care center.

Also proposed is a 2,000- to 3,000-car parking structure that may be shared with the Pond.

No formal plans for the development have been filed with the city.

But a spokeswoman for Burnett said Monday that the developer hopes to submit plans soon and to start construction in mid-1998, if the city approves.

The previous plan for the site included a New Orleans-themed hotel and entertainment project with nightclubs, restaurants, offices, exhibition hall and a seven-story, 300-room hotel.

The plan had drawn concerns from planning commissioners, who requested more information on issues related to sewers, storm drains, parking and traffic.