Give credit where it is due

After about 25 years of not giving a whole lot to the community, the Mouse has stepped up with a $12.5 million for the performing arts center. This is $10.5 million more than Disney offered in 1998 when Linda Chapin was pushing a performing arts center.

The difference is Jim Pugh, the brains, organization and energy behind this effort.

Disney's contribution certainly is noteworthy. And the Mouse deserves his cheese in the newspaper this morning. Plus, the Everest ride is killer.

But that donation pales next to the $7.5 million Jim is giving when you consider Jim isn't worth $100 trillion. If you look at the percent of Jim's wealth going toward this project, compared to what Rich DeVos is giving to the Magic arena, it's pathetic. And unlike DeVos's arena, Jim didn't take on the performing arts center to enrich himself.

If anyone should have a concert hall named after him, it is Jim. I doubt he will because that is not his motivation.

But somewhere in the building, there needs to be some recognition that this is the performing arts center that Jim built.