DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE: THEME PARKS
Universal branding has been dropped
Nangoku Resort Nago, Okinawa Island, Japan Opening: TBC
The attraction is primarily aimed at the growing Chinese tourism market
Chappypie China Time Wyong, NSW, Australia Opening: 2016 Plans for an AU$500m (US$466m, €348.4m, £276.6m) Chinese Cultural Theme Park north of Sydney face major hurdles after a number of incidents have put the proposed attraction’s owners and key shareholders under scrutiny. Most recently, the New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment reprimanded the developers, Australia China Theme Park, for using the department’s official logo in its promotional material, which offers an Australian visa in exchange for a AU$1m (US$771,000, www.attractionshandbook.com
€689,000, £489,000) investment. On 26 June, the department demanded the company remove its logo from all material related to this promotion, but is yet to receive a response. Concerns were also recently raised by government members about the financial backers of the project, with an investigation now underway into claims that Wyong Shire mayor Doug Eaton failed to declare his wife’s financial interests in the theme park. Tentatively set to open in late 2016, the park will feature 12 main sections, including Meridian Gate, Thanksgiving Temple, Zheng He’s Treasure Ship, Spring Festival Square and Panda Paradise, as well as a 4D cinema and a full-size replica of Beijing’s Forbidden City. ■■ http://lei.sr?a=f3q2R
Following reports that representatives from Universal Studios Japan were looking into potentially opening a new theme park on the island of Okinawa, the interested party has taken the rather surprising step of dropping the well-established Universal name in favour of ‘Nangoku Resort’. Translating to ‘Southern Country’, a term often used to refer to Japan’s tropical regions and islands, the new name does away with the Universal brand – something strongly entrenched in the Japanese market. The naming decision has raised questions as to how much of a link the new park will have with Universal Japan, and even if it will have any relation to movies for which the park is famous. Okinawa is currently trying to sell itself as an Asian tourist destination and a Universal theme park was seen as a huge step towards solidifying that stance, though possibly less so without the Universal branding. ■■ http://lei.sr?a=H8k5M ATTRACTIONS HANDBOOK 2015-2016
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