Don’t We Need A New Name Now That The Actual Times Has Moved Over To Eighth Avenue?

The best way to answer criticism that Times Square has become too Disney-fied is to own it:

An MTA board member yesterday suggested turning to Mickey Mouse’s deep-pocketed owner — which transformed seedy Times Square into America’s backyard — to save straphangers from the doom and gloom of a 2008 fare hike.

Perhaps Disney would pay big bucks for some sort of control or advertising rights to the Times Square subway station, suggested MTA board member Norman Seabrook.

“I would rather try to sell 42nd St.’s subway system underground to Disney for $60 million a year and have them paint it any way that they want to paint it,” Seabrook said at a Metropolitan Transportation Authority board meeting.

“They spend $100 million for one minute to be on the Super Bowl on a Sunday. I think that they would spend X amount of dollars in rent for that terminal.”

If the MTA is going to consider a fare hike, Seabrook said, officials must “look at different areas of raising funds” to at least lessen the burden of an increase on riders.

Seabrook’s pitch got amused smiles from other board members, and Mayor Bloomberg dismissed it as a Mickey Mouse idea.

“Disney has a great presence in Times Square. It’s a great brand name, but let’s get serious,” Bloomberg said.