Disney bucks Hollywood trend with big donation.

When Walt Disney Co. Chairman and Chief Executive Michael D. Eisner announced last week that the Burbank-based company plans to donate $25 million to the Wait Disney Concert Hall project, it marked a possible sea change for philanthropic Hollywood.

While the entertainment industry has been generous to AIDS treatment programs and universities, it often has been criticized for not supporting civic projects like Disney Concert Hall.

Prior to last week, the project's biggest donors were Ralphs/Food 4 Less, whose foundation donated $15 million; Atlantic Richfield Co., which gave $10 million; and BankAmerica Corp., Wells Fargo & Co. and Times Mirror Co., each of which contributed $5 million.

But Disney - as well as other entertainment companies - had been conspicuously absent from the list of corporate donors.

"They have been involved in some of their own projects," said Eli Broad, one of Disney Concert Hall's chief fund-raisers and chief executive of SunAmerica Inc. "But it seems that in many cases they prefer to be with their peers and themselves rather than in a broader community."

Broad attributed the lack of involvement to the constant change of management within the studios, but he added that attitudes may be changing.

Eisner last week said his company waited to donate money to the Concert Hall until a $5 million matching grant from Disney Vice Chairman Roy E. Disney and his wife Patty could be secured, and a performing arts space designated for the California Institute of the Arts - a university started with money from company founder Wait Disney - could be arranged.

Eisner acknowledged that Hollywood has not been as involved as other industries in civic projects, but he stressed the industry's philanthropic bent.

"I think the entertainment industry is unbelievably generous philanthropically in all sons of projects, and always has been - maybe the most generous of all industries I've been involved with," Eisner said. "They have not been involved in a major way in downtown L.A. because they've had other priorities."

Disney's philanthropic work includes founding a non-profit athletic program for children in poor neighborhoods; helping rebuild South L.A.'s First African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, which was damaged in a fire this summer; and selling light bulbs from Disneyland's retired Main Street Electrical Parade to raise money for children's charities.

Disney's $25 million donation is a "challenge gift," meaning that another $25 million must be secured - $5 million of which was already given by Roy E. and Patty Disney - before the company is obligated to pay.