Disney has been the largest sponsor in the 10 years of the event being held in Orlando, but it's decided to pull out.

The 20 Dream CMO finalists will be further winnowed to the Top 10 before the three-week voting window opens Sunday, March 2.

The Top 3 vote-getters travel to a Disney theme park in mid-April for a head-to-head competition that will be videotaped and voted on again by the online public. The winner serves as a goodwill ambassador at Disney parks around the world for about a year.

My ranking of the Top 20 Disney Dream CMO finalists (in order):

Players can now further customize their avatar with new hairstyles, tattoos, jewelry, and clothing. To celebrate the launch of the new customization features, Disney Online is giving Unlimited Access Members an exclusive skull bandana. Players can pick up the bandana from any tailor before midnight on Sunday, March 2.
 

With the addition of emotes, players can now communicate with others through actions such as dancing, laughing, clapping, celebrating, crying, flexing, waving, and more. A new “Looking for Crew” (LFC) feature allows players to tell other Pirates that they are interested in crewing up by placing a “Looking for Crew” message above their avatar’s head.

Disney Online has additional content planned for 2008 including a new Black Pearl Boss Battle as well as the expansion of ship customization, extension of quest story lines, and the addition of more enemies and challenges.

Sheriff's deputies said they believe a con man is hanging out in a hotel lobby on Disney property, listening in on conversations and then making a phone call to the victim's room to scam them.

"We're in the room and someone calls us and said they had a deal for us," Maybie said. "For $10 a person, (we) could go to the Polynesian Luau or Hoopie-Doo Review (shows)."

"It was stupid of me," Maybie said. "I should have said, 'You already have my credit card number.' But I gave him my credit card again."

She said when she went to pick up the tickets, they did not exist.

"An integral part of our overall digital strategy, Stage 9 was created to bridge the gap between user-generated content and traditional production, and is a perfect example of how we are continually looking at innovative methods to develop, produce, market and distribute the high-quality programming that consumers demand," said Anne Sweeney, co-chair, Disney Media Networks, and president, Disney-ABC Television Group. "By partnering with extremely talented creative individuals and producing in a variety of genres, Stage 9 has the ability and positioning to put experimental new media content on the map."

Barry Jossen, an Academy Award-winning short-form producer and studio executive, has been tapped as general manager of Stage 9. The studio has an active slate of more than 20 programs in comedy, drama, animation and reality ranging from traditional linear episodic storytelling to fully immersive interactive content geared toward the trend-setting A18-34 demographic. Working with emerging talent from the online community, Stage 9 is squarely focused on content creation, smartly distributing its programming through top broadband video sites, online social networks, mobile, and download services in order to maximize user accessibility and exposure. Additionally, the studio will collaborate with the company's Disney-ABC International Television on global digital distribution of its content.

"While the new media space is loaded with UGC, we feel the audience is missing the quality experience found in other forms of exhibition, and we are answering their need," said Jossen. "This creative frontier gives us the opportunity to develop new franchises, discover and develop talent and, most importantly, expand the standard of excellence set by our parent company in creating superior episodic programming with great stories and production values." Jossen, who continues his role as executive vice president of ABC Studios, overseeing production, has produced both award-winning films and television series, and received his Academy Award for the Live Action Short Film, "Dear Diary."

"Digital media has leveled the playing field, opening doors for anyone to have immediate and unlimited access to an audience," said Mark Pedowitz, president, ABC Studios, who has oversight of the new Stage 9 Digital Media Studio. "But content must evolve with the platform. Stage 9 gives us the freedom to experiment with creativity and innovation, while pioneering state-of-the-art business models in this exciting new market."

Beginning today, the studio's first release, "Squeegees," is available exclusively on ABC.com and YouTube, with its initial run sponsored by Toyota. "We are so grateful about how this partnership has evolved. From the very beginning the folks at ABC.com, YouTube and Toyota have collaborated to make 'Squeegees' and its launch a special event in this dynamic industry," said Jossen. "For YouTube, their expansion into original professional content further establishes their reputation as the leading online video community. We cannot thank Toyota enough for its confidence in the potential of original content. Finally, ABC.com continues its visionary efforts in expanding its brand on-line."

"By partnering with popular YouTube content creators, Stage 9 is developing a new model that will change online video production as we know it," said Jordan Hoffner, head of premium content partnerships for YouTube. "To have a storied company like Disney-ABC make new content for the YouTube community is quite groundbreaking and reflective of their unwavering imagination and YouTube's position as the home for quality professional video."

"For the launch of the all-new Corolla, comedy is a major strategic pillar to engage young, ambitious buyers. The high-quality, fresh online content of 'Squeegees' is a terrific fit," said Kim McCullough, corporate manager of marketing communications for Toyota.

"Squeegees" comes from the brilliant minds of the comedy team Handsome Donkey, dubbed "Online Auteurs" by the NY Times. "Squeegees" is a character-driven ensemble comedy about entrepreneurial slackers and their fledgling window washing business. New "Squeegees" episodes will debut every Monday and Friday on both sites. "Squeegees" was created, executive produced and stars Handsome Donkey principals Adam Countee, Brendan Countee, Marc Gilbar and Aaron Greenberg.

"Working with Stage 9 on 'Squeegees' was an awesome experience," said Handsome Donkey. "They gave us creative control, abundant resources and a lovely gift basket filled with exotic jams and biscuits."

The studio's roll out of new short-form programming will continue with "Voicemail 2," the second season of ABC.com's first original series inspired by one man's decade-long collection of phone messages. The never-before-seen humorous snippets capture an uncanny insight into the life of a 20-something male slacker in pursuit of happiness... with no responsibility. "Voicemail 2" is executive produced by Angela Mancuso.

Also slated to debut this spring is the original science fiction action thriller "Trenches," from Shane Felux, the critically acclaimed filmmaker and creator of "Pitching George Lucas" and "Star Wars Revelations," which became online sensations. Set in another time, on another planet, "Trenches" begins in the waning days of a grueling war. A botched rescue attempt forces a young soldier and his unit to team up with their enemy to survive a brutal threat and escape the planet.

Stage 9 is part of Disney-ABC Television Group, a division of The Walt Disney Company. This venture is part of the Disney-ABC Television Group's overall digital media, multiplatform business initiative and demonstrates the Group's ongoing commitment to launching new digital products and working with strategic partners in the digital media space to make its high-quality, informative and entertaining content available to consumers whenever and wherever they choose.

About YouTube

YouTube is the world's largest online video community allowing millions of people to discover, watch and share originally created videos. YouTube provides a forum for people to connect, inform and inspire others across the globe and acts as a distribution platform for original content creators and advertisers large and small. YouTube is based in San Bruno, CA and is a subsidiary of Google, Inc.

About Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Entitled "Faith, Trust & Pixie Dust," the new recording will feature songs from the Disney canon and is scheduled to arrive in stores May 13. Butler will head into the recording studio Feb. 29 under the supervision of music director Michael Kosarin, who is also producing the CD. The recording will feature orchestrations by Tony winner Michael Starobin and Spamalot's Larry Hochman.

In a statement Butler said, "I've wanted to do an album for a long time, and with the success of Xanadu, the timing seemed right. Recording the Xanadu recording for PS Classics was such a joyous experience, we decided to continue our relationship on my solo album. I knew I wanted to keep the album personal and intimate, and in thinking of songs that made me smile, or had a theme of hope or optimism that I felt was so important, I kept coming back to songs that were Disney-related. I love so many of the Disney themes – when I'm sad or stressed, I know I need a dose of Disney! The challenge for me was to see if I could rediscover the Disney catalog in a very personal way, because for me, Disney World isn't about the rides, it's about the message."

Among the songs that will be heard on "Faith, Trust & Pixie Dust" are "Baby Mine," "I'll Try" (from "Return to Neverland"), "This Only Happens in the Movies" (a song from a proposed sequel to "Roger Rabbit") and "God Help the Outcasts" (from "Hunchback of Notre Dame). The latter was suggested by several fans after Butler invited her admirers to help pick one song for the CD.

"Right now," Butler adds, "'I'll Try' may be my favorite song on the album. We even took the album title from a lyric in that song. Like a few other tracks on the album, 'I'll Try' is about losing faith, which I think is something everyone can relate to. I have always wanted to be childlike — which is different than childish. A child believes in magic. Anything can happen, they aren't jaded yet. To believe in good, even when you see evil in the world, is something I struggle with. That's what I love about 'I'll Try.' It recognizes that it's hard to have faith, and all you can do is make a choice to try."

As we've previously reported, Disney first announced 'Coyote Ugly' as part of its April 1 line-up of Blu-ray catalog releases (alongside 'Hidalgo' and 'Unbreakable'). Although initial specs were scarce for the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced cult fave, the full details are now in, featuring an unrated extended cut of the film supported by a raft of bonus features.

Boasting all of the same bonus features as the previously-released DVD versions of 'Coyote Ugly,' the Blu-ray is set to include a "Coyote Audio Commentary" with Bruckheimer and members of the cast, the "Search for the Stars" suite of three making-of featurettes ("The Dreamer," "Coyotes," "Mr. O’Donnell"), a three-part "Coyote 101" on being your own coyote, five additional scenes, and a LeAnne Rimes music video with "making-of the video" featurette.

Tech specs include 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 video, and -- in a change from Disney's support for uncompressed PCM audio on all of its previous Blu-ray releases -- an English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround track at 48kHz/24-bit (additional Dolby Digital dubs and subtitles are also provided in English, French and Spanish).

Fitch Rates The Walt Disney Family Museum (California) $59MM Revs 'AA-'

Business Wire - Fitch Ratings assigns an 'AA-' rating to approximately $59.1 million of California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (the issuer) revenue bonds series 2008, issued on behalf of The Walt Disney Family Museum, LLC (the museum). The bonds are ultimately secured by the absolute and unconditional guarantee of the Walt and Lilly Disney Foundation (the Disney Foundation) payable from loan payments to be made by the museum pursuant to a Loan Agreement between the museum and the issuer. The loan payments are an unsecured general obligation of the museum. The bonds are expected to sell via negotiation on or about March 11, 2008. The Rating Outlook is Stable.

Proceeds of the bonds will finance a portion of the $113.2 million Walt Disney Family Museum Project, including the renovation and adaptive reuse of the museum building and two related buildings, and pay capitalized interest. There is no debt service reserve fund. The bonds will be the only outstanding debt of the museum and the Disney Foundation. The remaining project costs will be funded by an equity contribution from the Disney Foundation.

The 'AA-' rating is supported primarily by the guarantor's financial strength and low debt burden; the strength of certain bondholder protections; and the ideal location of the museum in a tourist destination city. Additional credit strength is derived from management's commitment to the project and the lack of bondholder dependence upon museum operations and/or fundraising efforts for debt service payments.

As of fiscal 2007, the Disney Foundation's unrestricted cash and investments equaled $258 million. Using the most conservative assumptions regarding liquidity, the Disney Foundation's available funds provide over 3 times coverage of total proforma debt. Mitigating credit factors include the liquidity risks posed by stock market volatility; the lack of institutionalized policies and procedures which could complicate the succession of current leadership; and the remaining construction risks of the project.

The lack of a debt service reserve fund was viewed negatively in the rating process given the non-traditional nature of the project and the transaction's participants' lack of experience in the capital markets. The Stable Rating Outlook reflects Fitch's expectation that the guarantor's current liquidity levels will be maintained and that the project will be completed on time and within budget.

The Walt Disney Family Museum Project will be located in the Presidio of San Francisco and will comprise three historic buildings: a 59,000 square foot museum; a 17,000 square foot building housing archive, administrative and additional exhibition facilities; and a 1,195 square foot mechanical plant facility. The museum is a family endeavor and will tell the story of Walt Disney's life through 10 galleries using a mix of different media, state of the art technology, and the personal effects of the family and its historic objects. Although some items will be licensed from the Disney Company, the Disney Company is not involved in the project. The museum is expected to open in August 2009, with the additional galleries coming on-line in 2011.

The State Government has confirmed Disney recently held unsolicited discussions with the Department of State and Regional Development about the redevelopment of White Bay, a working port next to the Anzac Bridge.

A spokesman for the Minister for State Development, Ian Macdonald, would not elaborate on what was proposed during the discussions, saying only that they took place in the past few months and had been discontinued.

Disney, which has 11 theme parks, eight resorts and a cruise line across three continents, was one of a number of unnamed companies that have approached the Government with unsolicited proposals for the site, the spokesman said.

There were no "active concepts" at present, he said.

A spokesman for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, John Nicoletti, said his company was constantly exploring opportunities to grow. "As part of that process, we have conversations with lots of entities," he said. "And, while Australia is an attractive market, at this time we have no plans for this region."

He would not comment on what Disney had envisioned for the White Bay site, including whether it was for a Disneyland theme park, a Disney resort or some other venture.

The Government has established the Bays Precinct Taskforce to formulate a development strategy for White Bay, Glebe Island, Blackwattle Bay and Rozelle Bay.

Details are expected to be released when the sub-regional strategy for Sydney's inner west goes on display this year.

The executive director of the Sydney Chamber of Commerce, Patricia Forsythe, said a Disneyland at White Bay would be a wonderful opportunity for Sydney. "It is a spectacular site worthy of an iconic development," she said.

She said a world-class arts facility would also be suitable.

The "garbage fairy" myth is exposed through a new hands-on exhibit, in the east INNOVENTIONS pavilion, called "Don't Waste It," sponsored by Waste Management.

The weather technology area will be called "StormStruck: The Tale of Two Homes," developed by Disney and FLASH, a non-profit group formed by several for-profit companies. Scheduled to open late this summer, the area will give visitors feel for severe weather such as a hurricane. After they experience "the storm," they'll have an opportunity to learn about cutting edge research relating to weather and the latest recommendation for protecting homes.

FLASH stands for the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes Inc., and includes Bermuda-based catastrophic reinsurance company RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd., its U.S. affiliate for catastrophic weather modeling, WeatherPredict Consulting Inc., the construction supply company Simpson Strong-Tie and State Farm insurance.

Waste Management's Don't Waste It opened last week, providing visitors with educational games that help them understand what happens to garbage and how they might reduce their "personal trash profiles."

"We want reinforce the joy of learning and reading in young children by using on-air Radio Disney personalities to read to students and to lead them through a host of active learning experiences and gentle physical exercises," said Rob Broderick, a PSEA spokesperson and a coordinator of the initiative.

To spread the joy of learning and reading beyond the school house door, Broderick said PSEA is working with the Lehigh Valley Cops 'N' Kids Literacy Program and Radio Disney to collect age appropriate books for distribution. Books will be reviewed and distributed by the Cops 'N" Kids program to families and community organizations that do not have access to or sufficient quantities of good books for young children.

"We are counting on public support to help with the book collection," Broderick said. "Our goal is to collect 20,000 new or gently used books between November 9 and the end of May 2008." Individuals wishing to donate books can do so at any Radio Disney event (check http://www.radiodisney.com for event listings), or at Radio Disney's office at 501 Office Center Drive, Suite 190, Fort Washington, PA.

PSEA is also accepting books at these Pennsylvania locations:

-- PSEA Eastern Region, 4950 Medical Center Circle, Allentown

-- PSEA Mideastern Region, 601 Bethlehem Pike, Bldg. "C", Montgomeryville

-- PSEA Northeastern Region, 1188 Highway 315, Wilkes-Barre

-- PSEA Southeastern Region, 1512 McDaniel Drive, West Chester

To further emphasize the importance of this initiative, Broderick pointed to what Governor Ed Rendell said during a visit to Bethlehem last year to commend the efforts of Cops 'N' Kids coordinator, Beverly Bradley:

"It's very important for children to own books. They are something they can go and pick up anytime they want to read them." Gov. Rendell.

Local and area public officials, including the mayor, have been invited to attend.

"A year after a scandal erupted over the long-term treatment of soldiers at the hospital, the Army has turned to Disney for help," the paper says. "'Service, Disney Style' is newly required for all military and other government employees at Walter Reed."

The program, based on the principles that have worked so well at Disney's attractions, focuses on improving customer service. Last month, the commander discussed the training on her blog. "Some of the team are getting a leg up on the training by reading If Disney Ran Your Hospital – 9 and ½ Things You Would Do Differently by Fred Lee, and Be Our Guest by The Disney Institute," Col. Patricia Horoho writes.

After initial skepticism, some health care workers tell the paper they're now believers in what the Disney Institute calls "the business behind the magic."

Happy Birthday Mr. Mouse: It's been 10 years since Disney started its cruises. Two more Disney ships will launch in 2011 and 2012.

Fold 'em: You won't find casinos on any Disney ships.

Copy cats: "I don't think it's fair to say that Disney invented family cruising, because a lot of cruise lines made efforts to attract families to their ships starting in the '90s, but I do think it's fair to say that Disney reinvigorated the idea of family cruising," said Douglas Stallings, who edits Fodor's cruise guides. "Disney proved there is a large market for family cruises. They inspired other large cruise lines."

Adults-only: Disney ships offer nightclubs, classes, fitness centers, an adults-only restaurant, and wine, beer and martini tastings.

Private digs: Expect stops at Disney's private island, Castaway Cay, on its Bahamian cruises. Here, too, there is something for everyone -- a teen-only beach, an adults-only beach and a family beach.

Family-friendly: Disney's nurseries, Flounder's Reef, take infants as young as 12 weeks and toddlers up to 3. Disney's Magic and Wonder also have pools with separation filtration systems that allow diapered toddlers to swim.

Splish-splash: Each stateroom has a bathroom with a bathtub -- uncommon on nonluxury cruise ships. No wonder a survey conducted by BudgetTravelOnline.com rated Disney Cruise Line No. 1 for infants and toddlers, and children 3-7.

Celebrity sightings: There are scheduled opportunities onboard to meet characters like Mickey and Cinderella, and to attend character breakfasts.

Kid-stuff: The Oceaneer Club for kids 3 to 7 is a playroom designed like Captain Hook's ship, filled with soft, climbable sculptures. Also featured are puppet shows, storytelling and sing-alongs.

Let's make a deal: Rates start at $349 a person for three-night cruises, $399 for four nights, $649 for seven nights and can run nearly $2,500 a person for seven-day itineraries in the best rooms on peak holiday weeks. To save money:

• Disney Vacation Club members can use points toward cruise travel and discounts. www.DVC.Disney.go.com or 800-500-3990.

• Disney Visa cardholders can use points toward cruises and get a $50 shipboard credit. DisneyRewards.com or 800-300-8575.

Trading at 14.4 times next years' earnings, shares are at their lowest point in 18 years. The multiple is about equal with that of the S&P 500 average, which sounds ok until you realize Disney normally trades at an average 30% premium. Even better, CEO Robert Iger has succeeded in building a Disney "more diversified, better- managed, less cyclical and more disciplined in its brand development and capital-allocation strategies" than the company Walt built. Iger's 'franchise'-centric philosophy has executives focused on developing brand franchises, such as the exceptionally successful Hannah Montana, whose secondary products become revenue producers for other Disney units.

Aztec to be part of upcoming Disney movie

Farmington Daily Times - If Hollywood is like another planet, the Aztec UFO Symposium should fit in perfectly.

The two solar systems will collide when art and logos from the symposium appear on sets of the upcoming Disney remake "Witch Mountain."

"(Aztec) will have a big footprint," Los Angeles-based set decorator Kara Lindstrom said. Slated for a 2009 release, the movie features an alien brother and sister searching Earth for something that will save their planet while avoiding men who would exploit their powers.

In one scene, the pair, who look human, go to a UFO convention in Las Vegas, Nev., and end up on the run. One of the convention booths will be from the Aztec UFO Symposium.

Though it will be one of about 45 booths from UFO powerhouse cities like Roswell and Laughlin, Nev., Lindstrom said Aztec's booth will be two or three times as large as the others.

"They have a lot of art work and a lot of really good stuff," Lindstrom said. "Most conventions are not that visually interesting."

Shooting is slated to start in California in March, and the UFO convention scene shoot is in April. Though only extraterrestrial powers could discern the amount of screen time Aztec will get, its chances look good.

"It's background to an extremely big scene," Lindstrom said. "We'll take a week to shoot this thing."

The contact started when Lindstrom found the symposium online.

"We sent them T-shirts, cups, mugs, bags, big banners," and entries from the annual art contest, Aztec Librarian Leanne Hathcock said. "Ten years worth of stuff."

The positive, prompt response from the Aztec Library made it one of Lindstrom's favorites.

"I found a lot of people were kind of flaky," she said.

This set will be different from the others she's helped create on movies such as "French Kiss" and "Strange Days" because many, though not all, of the sets are from real groups or events.

"It always looks better. You know if something is real or kind of fake," she said. "Real works."

This week, the Aztec City Commission approved contracts giving Flying Winnebago Productions Inc., a company created by Disney for the movie, the right to use photos, images and artwork from the symposium for $2,000.

"Some people pay to have their stuff appear on sets," Hathcock said. Though documentary crews have visited the symposium before, this is the largest amount the library has been paid, Hathcock said.

The movie is a remake of the 1975 film "Escape to Witch Mountain" about two orphan children with mysterious powers. It was followed by a sequel, "Return from Witch Mountain" three years later.

The new version stars Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as a cab driver who advises and protects the children. AnnaSophia Robb, who was in "Bridge to Terabithia," will play the sister.

"It's about aliens, but it's a family movie, really quite sweet," Lindstrom said.

The 10-year-old Aztec UFO Symposium is based on a possible 1948 spacecraft crash in Hart Canyon. Dozens of speakers and a few hundred people come each year to hear speakers on all things extraterrestrial and otherworldly.

Disney's ImageMovers Digital studio has outgrown a San Rafael site and hopes to set up shop for 180 employees in 90,000 square feet of office space in Hangars 7 and 9 by Christmas, an ImageMovers executive said.

"We're growing pretty fast," said Doug Chiang, ImageMovers Digital executive vice president. "We're pretty excited about Hamilton because of the community there and the base's historical significance.

"We've always been attracted to that."

Chiang said the company has special plans for the landmark air control tower in Hangar 7, but he declined to elaborate.

Disney Studios will start interior construction as early as May or June, said Richard Johnson, executive vice president of finance for Hamilton developer Barker Pacific Group.

Five other hangars - with tenants including Sony Imageworks, Visual Concepts Entertainment, Smith & Hawken and Birkenstock Distribution USA - have been renovated by Barker Pacific Group. All seven hangars provide more than 450,000 square feet of office space on the 22-acre site for approximately 850 employees, officials said.

"We have a tremendous mix of tenants, and what we've done has been very well received, especially by the creative types," Johnson said.

Terms of the deal with ImageMovers Digital were not disclosed. "They've made a substantial economic investment at this location," Johnson said. "We won't have the actors and actresses up here, but I guess we'll see how they put the rest of the movie together."

More than 175 employees for ImageMovers Digital work at a studio at 1 Thorndale Drive in San Rafael. The studio uses "performance capture" filmmaking techniques in which an actor's movements and gestures are transferred to the digital realm. The result: computer-animated characters.

ImageMovers Digital is working on the Charles Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carol," starring Jim Carrey as Ebenezer Scrooge. The movie is an adaptation that will feature 3-D stereoscopic animation and is planned for release later this year.

Oscar-winning director Robert Zemeckis was brought on board to work with ImageMovers Digital. He wrote the screenplay and will direct "A Christmas Carol," which is in production at the San Rafael studio. Zemeckis and Chiang joined forces on other ImageMovers Digital films, including "The Polar Express," featuring the voice of Tom Hanks in a number of roles. The studio recently released "Beowulf."

The new digs at Hamilton will allow for company growth, up to 300 employees, and help with the development of

other new filmmaking techniques, said Chiang, who also worked with Zemeckis on "Forrest Gump."

Having cutting-edge filmmakers working alongside a variety of biotech and software companies at Hamilton is a great start for the neighborhood, city officials say, noting the area's redevelopment plan follows years of community debate.

"We envisioned those hangars as state-of-the-art places for people to work, especially creative folks," Novato Mayor Pat Eklund said. "We've been fortunate to have saved the buildings and put them into effective use today.

"Getting Disney here was a dream come true."

"With all the historic buildings we've saved, combined with all residential, we're in essence completing the master plan developed in the 1990s. It took a lot of people to put this together."

Hamilton Field was decommissioned in 1974. Various development plans were proposed, prompting a decade of controversy, political upheaval and an alphabet soup of ballot proposals ranging from a commercial airport to a "solar village." None came to fruition.

Airport use of the old base was ultimately rejected, the federal land was transferred to the city and, in 1998, the hangar sites were purchased by Barker Pacific. Five hangars are owned by Hamilton Marin LLC, a joint venture of Prudential Real Estate investors and Barker Pacific.

Barker Pacific director Michael Barker called the Hamilton hangar project "a $150 million investment."

"What we have here now is the vision of Michael Barker and his team," Johnson said. "These hangars could have been torn down. But I think keeping the character of the base, renovating the hangars proved to be a good decision."

Each hangar has about 60,000 square feet of space and feature two stories. Telecommunications and heating and cooling systems are housed under raised flooring, making air conditioning more efficient. The floor panels can be popped out and reconfigured to accommodate changing office needs.

Development of the community, called Hamilton Landing, includes more than 1,000 single-family homes and includes affordable housing. In addition to the housing, the project features more than 70 acres of parks and open space and 50 acres of community facilities, including a library, art center, theater and sports fields.

In addition, the West Coast's largest wetlands restoration project is under way at Hamilton. The $200 million, eight-year project is funded by state, federal and local money. It will use 7 million cubic yards of dredge sludge from the Port of Oakland estuary to bury the old runway complex and restore marshland at Hamilton. The dredge material is enough to cover 700 football fields three feet deep.

Beyond the marshland restoration tract, more than 30 high-tech, biotech, entertainment and retail companies and nonprofits have moved into Hamilton, soon to include Disney's digital team.

Novato Realtor Mike DiGiorgio, a former mayor, said the vibrant community blooming at Hamilton has been a long time coming.

"I don't think we've lost any aviation or architectural heritage, and the diversity of the companies ... how great is that?" he said.