Sportstown deal has community use element

As part of the city's deal with Forest City Development, the new Sportstown entertainment complex will provide $100,000 a year for free community use. Just what that use will be has not been decided yet. The city will negotiate individual terms for community use with each tenant. The city has made no decisions on which community groups will receive the community use. Tenants will be announced on or before Dec. IS. "We are always concerned with getting the maximum benefit for the most people," said Bret Colson, city spokesman. When the Walt Disney Co. built Disney ICE downtown, the city secured the use of the rink for area schools. The Community Development Department helped the Anaheim Union High School District, Anaheim City School District and Magnolia School District get access to the rink for before and after school programs to teach ice skating to youngsters. Since October 1995, when the program began, the rink has provided the city with about $300,000 per year in community use. The department monitors the program to make sure that the use is consistent with the contract. "(We wanted) to served theredevelopment area first and then push out the benefits as far as we can," said Terry Lowe, head of recreation in the community development department. "Over 110,000 children receive free skating lessons." Community uses often include allowing an organized community league to play at a facility, holding special events for needy groups, providing a meeting place for an organization or dis* counted use of a facility for underprivileged people. The criteria for choosing a community use is that it help the most number of people. Businesses often are called on by the city to lend help to the area outside of contractual obligations. "One of the benefits of having Disney in Anaheim is the Disney GOALS program," Colson said. Disney GOALS is a youth hockey program that stress citizenship and fair play as a way to build leadership. Other departments in the city, such as economic development, make deals with new businesses that include job training as part community benefit.