Miscast Studios Dodge a Fight

What a sight. Studio executives are rarely known for their timidity. Yet, there they were recently, one after the other writing to say they were sorry--deeply sorry--to the part-time City Council of Burbank. Why? Seems bigwigs from Warner Bros., NBC and Disney all want to distance themselves from the position taken by the Burbank Chamber of Commerce endorsing expansion plans for Burbank Airport.

Burbank’s council and the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority are locked in a nasty fight over expansion of the airport. Burbank wants less, the autonomous authority wants more. The studios promised neutrality in the battle, but then had their names attached to a position adopted by the chamber that supports the authority’s proposal for a bigger project.

What’s the big deal?

Why would big bucks studio bosses kowtow to citizen politicians?

Quite simply, they can’t afford not to. As the biggest businesses in town, the studios need to tread lightly to ensure they are warmly received by the council when it really counts. For instance, the council controls two of the variables most critical to expanding enterprises: taxes and land use.

Burbank has long promoted itself as a community friendly to the kind of business the studios run--clean, well-paying and quiet. City officials go out of their way to make sure the studios get prompt attention and a fair shake. In return, the studios have a sort of unspoken obligation to present themselves as good neighbors. As such, they must choose their fights.

Sure, most of the studio heads would probably love to see a bigger, nicer airport in Burbank. But, clearly, they’re not willing to sour their relationship with Burbank to get it.