In Lujiazhui CBD, Pudong district a "crystal palace", the largest ocean theme theater nationwide, will emerge on the horizon. It is predicted that the theater, approved lately, may well rival the French Moulin Rouge in Paris and American Broadway in Manhattan after its completion in early 2005.
As learned, the "Mermaid Crystal Place", with a total investment of 280mn yuan, will cover a floor space of 23,600 square meters. It includes a 3000 sqm performing-hall of oceanic architectural design. In the center of the hall, there's a 180 sqm swimming pool with a symbolic scene -- a transparent lifting swimming pool lying in the middle. The lifting swimming pool with a water space of 50 sqm, the biggest in Asia, is designed for under-water performances.
As common glass can't withstand the 140 tons' water pressure, the lifting swimming pool will adopt special transparent materials of high-strength, which marks the first move in Asian ocean theaters.
Tourism experts hold that those finance and trade zones such as Manhattan New York, Shinjuku Tokyo and Central Hong Kong have all developed a new mode combining CBD with entertainment. Thus, it is expected that the construction of "Mermaid Crystal Place?? will attract more domestic and foreign tourists and become a new bright spot in promoting the "flow economy" in this region.
(People's Daily December 3, 2002)
