Disney’s New California Desert City Starts Taking Shape

Disney’s ambitious housing project in California’s Coachella Valley is starting to take shape in the desert landscape of Rancho Mirage, amid concerns from locals.

Cotino is the first of the entertainment giant’s “Storyliving by Disney” residential communities, which its website describes as “a dynamic creative oasis with a stunning landscape in the Greater Palm Springs Area.” According to Disney, the luxury residential community will welcome “homeowners of all ages, offering single-family residences.” Some residences will be specifically designated for people over the age of 55, the company said.

While residents aren’t expected to start moving to Cotino before early 2025, home sales have already begun, and the housing project is beginning to take shape, with the first batch of 300 homes being developed. Prices start at more than $1 million and go above $2 million, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Home prices in Rancho Mirage are already much higher than the national and state average. According to Redfin’s latest data, the median sale price of a home in Rancho Mirage was $920,500 in July, up 2.8 percent compared to a year earlier. By comparison, the median sale price of a home in the U.S. in the same month was $438,706, while in California it was $836,300.

The project involves the construction of 1,932 planned homes spread across more than 600 acres and is set to feature a 24-acre lagoon, a sandy beach, water sports and a promenade. Water-wise, Cotino would be a literal oasis in the desert in the area, with Palm Springs receiving about 5 inches of rain per year.

Mock-up images of Cotino show residents enjoying the community’s sandy beach, playing sports by the water and walking down the promenade. An artist’s image of the entire development shows a community built around a blue lagoon surrounded by greenery.

The idea behind the community is to incorporate the signature Disney experience into everyday living. “Through a club membership, Disney will also provide access to curated experiences, such as wellness programming; entertainment ranging from live performances to cooking classes; philanthropic endeavors; seminars and much more,” the company said.

Plans for Cotino include a beachfront hotel and a mixed-use district with shopping, dining and entertainment facilities. Nonresidents would be able to access its beach and recreational water center by purchasing a day pass. The community’s town center would feature a street market, where local artists sell Disney-themed arts and crafts.

Newsweek contacted Disney’s media team for comment by email.

Some locals aren’t thrilled about their new neighbor. Resident Mark Wolpa told the Los Angeles Times, “Rancho Mirage is quiet, peaceful and friendly, but Cotino’s bringing pollution, commotion and chaos to an area that didn’t want it.”

Wolpa also expressed concerns about the water usage in Cotino, especially in the lagoon.

“It’s still a desert, and water is still a precious resource,” he told the outlet. “To think about having a lagoon here just feels wasteful.”

Bill Miller, another local, had other environmental concerns, telling the newspaper, “Birds, bees, butterflies, rabbits, lizards, roadrunners—none of these are considered when the landscaping goes in.”