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Disney
Sprawl
Not Needed
To the Editor:
Dan Ritchie’s rambling pro-Disney, pro-sprawl letter in your May 11 issue demands brief rebuttal on four points.
First, urban sprawl has not been “part of civilization for thousands of years.” Urban sprawl is a postWorld War II American phenomenon. For example, England and > New England are both 50 million t acres, but with a population four times that of New England (50 percent urbanized) England is only 20 percent urbanized. To compete internationally in the 21st century, th$ U.S. must return to more efficient patterns and densities of urban land use.
' Second, a new Edge City at Haymarket would not help to fill underutilized space closer to D.C., but would rather add to underutilization problems. Third, in terms of net effect, Disney’s America would not “spin off” tourists to other attrractions, but—as indicated by several studies including one recently released by Colonial Williamsburg— would “suck away” from existing attractions. Finally, the Disney debate is not about whether new jobs are needed but about where new jobs are needed.
Personally, I hope Mr. Ritchie remains in Maryland. We already have more than enough muddled thinkers in Virginia.
ROBERT T. DENNIS
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