American Campus Communities in partnership with Walt Disney World Resort have kicked off construction of a 10,400-bed residential project in Orlando, Florida. The $630m project will house participants of the Disney College Program, now known as Disney Internships and Programs. In June, ACC and Walt Disney World Resort announced their partnership, which is structured as an American Campus Equity transaction, where ACC will serve as the developer, manager and owner of the new residential housing through a 75-year ground lease. Residents will have access to two 25,000 sq ft community centers and amenities like resort-style swimming pools, event and recreational lawns, fitness centers and social lounges. The first phase is expected to be delivered in May 2020.
“Collaborating with Walt Disney World on this project and serving the Disney Internships and Programs participants is an incredible honor,” said Bill Bayless, CEO of ACC. “When we first launched American Campus Communities in 1993, we traveled around the country with four poster boards, sharing our vision for the student experience. One of them was titled, ‘The Disney Way.’ It was our founding goal to emulate Disney’s best-in-class customer service.”
