Viacom unit plans US$1.5bn theme park in Hangzhou
BLOOMBERG
Saturday, May 28, 2005,Page 12
Viacom Inc's Paramount Parks plans to build a US$1.5 billion theme park in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou in partnership with Shui On Group Ltd, a Hong Kong developer, according to the municipal government and the builder.
A preliminary agreement was signed on Wednesday, said Tang Jinxiang, a planning official at Hangzhou's Yuhang District Tourism Bureau. Shui On spokeswoman Christine Mui said no time frame was agreed for work to start. Carl Folta, a US-based spokesman for Viacom, said he couldn't comment.
Paramount, whose five North American parks have rides based on movies such as Crocodile Dundee, may vie for visitors with Walt Disney Co's US$3.5 billion Hong Kong park.
"Not too many people in Asia know about Paramount theme parks," said Adrian Ngan, a Hong Kong-based analyst with BNP Paribas Peregrine Securities.
Rockefeller Group Inc, a US subsidiary of Mitsubishi Estate, and Shui On will be responsible for building the Hangzhou theme park, according to a secretary for Tu Dongdong, deputy chief of Hangzhou's Yuhang district. Rockefeller and Shui On would invest in the park, and Paramount would provide brands and ideas.
| Jesse: Jax plans Africa theme park |
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"He has plans far beyond this crisis," Jesse Jackson, the embattled pop star's "spiritual adviser," told MSNBC. "He has this kind of fascination with Africa. He's been there many times. "He wants the children of Africa to have a theme park just as Neverland has a park." Though a forensic accountant at the trial testified that Jacko is $270 million in debt, Jesse Jackson denied that and said Michael won't be selling off any of his assets. Neither the Neverland Ranch nor the Elvis, Beatles or Jackson music catalogues will be on the auction block, even though the singer has been somewhat "cash-strapped," he said. So how will Jacko pay for a new theme park? Vegas, baby! According to "Celebrity Justice," the King of Pop has been negotiating with impresario Steve Wynn to headline a show at the brand new Wynn Hotel and Casino. In March, Us Weekly reported Donald Trump's people were also talking to Jacko. But the mogul quickly tossed water on the talk. "It's an interesting idea but I don't think he'd show up half the time," Trump said. "I can't imagine what the insurance policy would be like," he quipped to the syndicated entertainment show "The Insider." Michael Jackson hasn't been on stage since 2001. Just in case the African theme park and Sin City plans are moot, and the moonwalker does end up behind bars, Jesse Jackson said he'll do just fine. "I mean, while he looks kind of delicate, and dances, and talks in a kind of high-pitched voice, he's really a very tough and smart guy," he said. And whatever happens, there won't be any more boys in his bed, Jesse assured the world. "It shouldn't have happened in the first place but certainly it will never happen again," he said. Michael Jackson vowed to fans last year that he would never put himself in a position again in which he could be accused of molestation. |
KIAC theme park to serve in-flight meals
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Kansai International Airport Co.'s (KIAC) observation hall will be renovated into an aviation theme park, the first of its kind in the nation.
KIAC plans to establish an amusement floor with a space navigation simulation ride, and a restaurant floor offering in-flight meals from different airlines. The observation hall will reopen on July 9.
Under the plan, the firm will refurbish a 2,000-square-meter area used for offices and an event space in the observation hall north of the runway and expand a parking lot. The park will cover three floors. The construction cost will be 250 million yen.
The park will feature a theater that simulates a journey through space 50 years in the future and reproduction of a full-size passenger cabin and cockpit where people can experience piloting.
The restaurant floor will offer various types of in-flight meals, including a meal served for first-class passengers and a light buffet menu, served by airline companies of different countries.
KIAC also will establish a shopping floor featuring aviation-related books, models and the products made specifically for the firm.
The firm built the observation hall in 1994 when the airport opened, but visitors have fallen yearly. It renovated the hall by replacing the floor with a wooden deck in July at a cost of 270 million yen and attracted 430,000 visitors in its first nine months.
KIAC hopes to attract more than 600,000 visitors a year. A company official said the firm had drawn up a plan to create a more enjoyable airport, adding that it hoped to attract local residents, besides ordinary passengers.
Le magazine Forbes présente son classement des 10 meilleurs parcs mondiaux et les parcs européens n'ont pas à rougir de leurs homologues américains !
World's 10 best amusement parks
Sophia Banay, Forbes | June 03, 2005
The global theme park industry takes its fun seriously. Last year around the world more than 328 million people visited amusement parks. They ate overpriced meat products, sipped sodas, rode roller coasters, bought T-shirts and, according to accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, spent approximately $20 billion.
Even more thrilling, for the industry at least: that number is expected to grow 25% to $24.7 billion by 2008.
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And, according to Beth Robertson, vice president of communication services at the Alexandria, Va.-based International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, that number has the potential to grow much larger.
"In 2005 alone, more than 100 new attractions have opened or been announced to open worldwide. The amusement industry is strong and growing at a steady rate," she explains. "What limits what is created for the industry is just two things. One: physics. Two: the imagination of the designers and engineers."
How much imagination? In New Jersey, Six Flags Great Adventure recently debuted the 456-foot high Kingda Ka, which is billed as the world's fastest and tallest roller coaster. Its hydraulic launch propels the train out of the gates at 128 miles per hour and then through a 270-degree loop, making passengers feel weightless.
The roller coaster has a dual-loading station that allows four trains to simultaneously load and unload on two separate tracks, a peak horsepower of 7,400 and can accommodate 1,400 people per hour.
Like everything else in the leisure travel industry, the recent boom in the amusement park segment comes after a depressed period. Road blocks in the form of the war in Iraq, SARS, a stagnant economy and rising oil prices have made for a rocky ride since Sept. 11.
"The energy crisis and currency rates have impacted manufacturers and suppliers around the world," says Robertson.
John Robinett of Economic Research Associates (ERA), a research economics firm in Los Angeles that did the original planning work for several of The Walt Disney Co.'s attractions, has been studying the effects of international disasters on tourism for years.
"The impact of 9/11 has been almost identical to the other incidents that we've studied: Tiananmen Square in China, civil war in Fiji, the riots in Los Angeles," he says. "After an incident of civil unrest, natural disaster or terrorism, there is an immediate 30% downward spike in the perception of safety in those places. Theme park attendance and revenue are sensitive to this. Tourism pops back up after two-to-three years, at which point it resumes the natural growth rate."
As the fast-approaching Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer and roller coasters worldwide begin to lurch back into action, Forbes.com has once again compiled a list of the world's most fun amusement parks.
The parks on our list have unique attractions or historic sites; they aren't necessarily the ones with the most rides or the highest annual profits.
In general, park profits are a closely kept secret: Disney, for example, doesn't break out its theme park financials in annual earnings reports. But to get an idea of how successful a park can be, Tivoli Gardens, the Copenhagen park on our list which was said to have inspired Walt Disney to create Disneyland, revealed that in 2004 it earned profits of 404.2 million DKK, or about $68.2 million.
ERA estimates that Disneyland Park in Anaheim, Calif., which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, had over 13.3 million visitors in 2004, while Tivoli Gardens brought in just over four million.
Analysts believe that annual profits correspond roughly with annual attendance rankings. (Keep in mind that major theme parks like Disneyland are open year-round, while many others, including Tivoli Gardens, close during the cold months.)
As the number of amusement park visitors continues to rise (at an annual rate of 2%, according to Robertson), so, no doubt, will the number of park-related accidents. While the US Consumer Product Safety Commission reported only 78 ride-related injuries requiring overnight hospitalization in 2003 (the last year for which data was available), insuring these parks is a pricey proposition.
Ryan Wilkerson, president and CEO of Hans & Wilkerson Insurance, won't reveal just how pricey, but does say that premiums are dependent upon factors like revenue, number of rides and previous loss experience at a particular park. Hans & Wilkerson has been working as an exclusive agent to ACE Limited since 1939, providing over thirty small US amusement parks with insurance.
"Amusement parks are covered by general liability insurance, which includes everything from a slip and fall to a ride malfunction," Wilkerson says. "But because of liability exposure, very few companies are willing to underwrite these risks."
Good thing some companies take the gamble. It wouldn't feel like summer without a mouthful of sugar, that Ferris-wheel view or leaving your stomach behind on Kingda Ka.
| Fès: La CDG sintéresse de près à la région |
| · Elle a réalisé une étude synthèse sur la stratégie de développement · De nombreux projets dans tous les secteurs LE rapport intermédiaire de létude synthèse, réalisée par la Caisse de dépôt et de gestion (CDG), sur la stratégie de développement de la région Fès-Boulemane est fin prêt. Il identifie clairement les forces et les faiblesses de la région et les potentialités de développement quelle recèle. On y trouve, outre une vision globale et prospective du développement de la région, un rappel des problématiques essentielles auxquelles elle est confrontée. Létude avance également quelques pistes de développement et des exemples de projets structurants. Mais, avant de les énumérer, il convient den citer un, plus global, qui consiste à créer un fonds dinvestissement pour la région. Ce fonds, à vocation généraliste, à linstar de ceux proposés pour dautres régions du Royaume, pourrait apporter un complément dappui technique ou financier à des projets dinvestissement bénéficiant, par ailleurs, de financements spécifiques. Lesquels financements bénéficieront à tous les secteurs. Industrie, artisanat, tourisme la CDG nexclut aucun domaine. Sagissant de lindustrie, les responsables de la CDG se penchent sur lidée de mettre en place des fonds financiers spécialisés à même dapporter un soutien à la redynamisation de lentreprise. Dun double intérêt, ces fonds seront destinés, soit pour aider à la restructuration et à la modernisation de celles existantes, soit appuyer la création de nouvelles autres dans les domaines dactivité à fort potentiel. «On pourra ainsi étudier lopportunité de création dun fonds dappui à la restructuration et à la modernisation des entreprises et un fonds dinvestissement pour les entreprises agro-industrielles». Parallèlement, et compte tenu de lapport essentiel de la recherche scientifique dans la modernisation des activités industrielles, la région devra investir dans des centres de recherche et favoriser linnovation technologique en créant notamment une technopole. Enfin, le lancement et la pérennisation dune foire internationale, organisée dans la ville de Fès, viendraient compléter le plan de relance économique. La mise sur pied dun espace danimation économique, déchange dexpériences et dinteractions, de mise en relations daffaires et dexposition et de promotion du savoir-faire serait dun grand apport. En ce qui concerne le secteur de lartisanat, la CDG propose outre la création dun fonds de développement, lorganisation du secteur à travers une structure fédérative de commercialisation. Laquelle structure sera chargée de pénétrer les marchés à lexportation tout en imposant au produit artisanal «Maroc» une logique dinnovation et de qualité. Lartisanat et le tourisme, deux secteurs qui vont de pair. A cet égard, la CDG recense une dizaine de projets. Les plus importants concernent laménagement de deux nouvelles zones durbanisation destinées à accueillir des infrastructures touristiques et de loisirs. Il sagit des zones de Oued Fès et de Ouislane que la société Maroc hôtel village (MHV), filiale de la CDG, sest engagée à mener. Lun de ces deux projets devra bénéficier dun espace de rencontres et daccueil de conférences de niveau international, un véritable palais des congrès. Un show qui hissera la ville de Fès au rang des plus grandes capitales de la planète, capables dhéberger des événements mondiaux. Par ailleurs, la ville devrait avoir un symbole de la reconnaissance collective. A ce titre, la création dun musée de lHistoire de Fès est très sollicitée. Lidée dun parc national dattractions entièrement dédié à un «Maroc miniature», où seraient reproduits les monuments et les trésors architecturaux du pays, est aussi mise à létude. Des projets dans léducation, culture et sport et zones vertes figurent aussi dans le plan proposé par la CDG. En tout cas, si celle-ci a pris cette grande initiative, elle a intégré la composante régionale dans sa stratégie daction et manifeste, de ce fait, un grand intérêt pour le contact et le dialogue directs avec les régions. Lobjectif nest autre que détablir des collaborations autour de projets de développement. Lesquels visent à soutenir le développement économique national par tous types dactions quils conviendraient. Dans une déclaration à LEconomiste, Mhamed Douiri, président du Conseil de la région, a souligné que la CDG est devenue conseillère, consultant, partenaire et actionnaire permanent des grands projets dans la région. «Elle jouera un rôle de premier plan dans le développement économique de la région Fès-Boulemane. Notamment en tant quinvestisseur institutionnel et comme opérateur dans une large gamme de métiers», indique-t-il. Et dajouter que lambition est dassurer un développement global et intégré. «Notre objectif est aussi de désenclaver les zones rurales en les dotant deau potable, habitat et voiries». Il faut promouvoir le rôle historique et économique de la région. Le projet de lautoroute Fès-Taza doit démarrer dans les plus brefs délais. La région simpliquera davantage pour lamélioration des routes menant aux ports Tanger-Med, Al Hoceïma et Nador. «Notre rôle est dinstaurer une notion de partenariat, mais aussi de chercher les investisseurs des secteurs privé et public et leur proposer des projets ficelés», conclut Douiri. De notre correspondant, Youness SAAD ALAMI |
VW-Autostadt macht Millionenverluste
Die Autostadt in Wolfsburg, die am 1. Juni ihren fünften Geburtstag feiert, fahre jährlich Verluste von mehr als 20 Millionen Euro ein, berichtete die deutsche "WirtschaftsWoche" am Dienstag im voraus aus ihrer neuen Ausgabe.
Das Defizit gleiche Europas größter Autobauer mit einem Zuschuss aus. Für VW-Finanzvorstand Hans Dieter Pötsch sei das eine lohnende Investition, verdanke der Autobauer der Autostadt Marktforschungen zufolge doch mehr als 10.000 Autoverkäufe pro Jahr.
Rund 430 Millionen Euro investierte Volkswagen in den eigenen Stadtteil mit Großbauten und Pavillons, Wasserstraßen und Brücken, Seen, Landzungen, Hügeln, Grünflächen und einem eigenen Nobel-Hotel im Nordosten Wolfsburgs.
2,1 Millionen Besucher
Zwar strömen nach Angaben der "WirtschaftsWoche" jährlich 2,1 Millionen Besucher in den mit 25 Hektar Fläche zweitgrößten Freizeitpark Deutschlands nach dem Europa-Park im baden-württembergischen Rust. Doch nur 1,3 Millionen davon zahlten Eintritt. Viele Gäste bekommen den Eintritt als Extra zum Autokauf dazu. Zudem drohe den Wolfsburgern Konkurrenz von BMW, DaimlerChrysler und Porsche, die in den kommenden zwei Jahren eigene Museen und Erlebniswelten eröffneten.
Artikel vom 31.05.2005 |apa,afp |grü
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