Shanghai is preparing to build a Disneyland theme park and is
awaiting central government approval, the city's mayor told the
press Tuesday.
His statement is the first official response from a top city
leader following two years of speculation that the eastern
metropolis is in talks with entertainment giant Walt Disney to
build a theme park.
"We have been hoping (to build the Disney theme park) for quite
some time," said Han
Zheng, who is attending the ongoing annual session of the
National People's Congress in Beijing. "Shanghai has the right
conditions and all the preparatory work is in the pipeline."
If the project is approved it'll be Disney's second theme park
in China--Hong Kong Disneyland opened in September.
Han said he didn't know when construction would start because
"we are waiting for the State Council (China's cabinet) to make the
decision." The State Council declined to release an
update.?
"I can't say anything now because the project should be approved
by the State Council," said Wang Dongsheng, Director of the
Department of Social Development of the National Development and Reform
Commission--the country's top economic planning agency under
the State Council.
Leslie Goodman, senior vice-president of Worldwide Public
Affairs of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, said in a statement
Tuesday, "there's nothing new to report on the progress of Shanghai
discussions.
"The Walt Disney Company has not reached an agreement with
Shanghai to build a second Disney destination resort in China. If
we were to reach an agreement for a second park in China it would
not open before 2010."
However, Goodman said China was Disney's first choice business
expansion.
The statement is exactly the same as the one issued last month
after reports of an impending deal. Disney President, Robert Iger,
was then quoted by Hong Kong Cable TV as saying that discussions
with the Shanghai government were ongoing.
A Disneyland park would be a boost for Shanghai's economy and to
those involved in the travel industry. Last year more than 90
million domestic travelers and 4 million overseas visitors visited
the city. The park would also lead to the establishment of other
leisure-related facilities.
"Shanghai lacks a large-scale theme park," said Huang Guangrong,
secretary-general of the Shanghai Travel Industry Association. "The
construction of a Disneyland will greatly improve the city's
attraction to domestic travelers."
Chuansha town in the Pudong New Area, east of Shanghai, has
often been touted as the most likely location for the proposed
park.
A Chuansha government official, who identified herself only by
the surname Zhu, said she had heard that a large parcel of land has
been reserved for the possible construction project.
"Is it true?" she said when asked if she had heard about Han's
announcement. "That would be really good."
(China Daily March 8, 2006)