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Wanda Group Planning UK park?

Maelstrom

TS Member
Screamscape are reporting an interview that was done with China's Wanda Group. one of the questions was asked about expanding their theme parks outside of China, the response was that they are planning to and are seriously looking at the UK. They said Europe will be a focus but the UK is the main focus.

I wonder if they are looking at a new park or taking over an existing park and expanding it. Or maybe they could become a financial partner in paramount?
 
Paramount is one thing that stuck in my mind when I saw this mentioned on Screamscape. As much as it'd be great to see another new park on top of Paramount, I reckon ultimately we'd see Paramount stumble as a result as investors would be put off by two big attractions in quick succession, or attracted to invest in only one of them. Certainly an interesting prospect though, they've got some stunning coasters planned for China at the moment!
 
From what I can find, they're a fairly new entrant to the Theme Park market but they seem to have a good foundation in hotels, cinemas and department stores.

They seem to be building a few parks in China at the moment, that Viper woodie is going to one of their new parks I think.
 
Info i found on wikipedia about the company-

Wanda group was founded in 1988 as a real estate company Since 2005, it has diversified into areas including hotels, cinemas, karaoke centres, and department stores. they are also the worlds largest Cinema operator after they purchased the american chain AMC inmay 2012 for $2.6 billion. This acquisition will give them a 92% stake in the company.

As of June 16 2014, Dalian Wanda owned 88 Wanda Plazas, 55 five-star hotels, 1,247 cinema screens, 78 department stores, and 84 karaoke centres throughout China.

In 2013, the company’s assets totaled 380 billion yuan ($62.8 billion), its annual income reached 186.6 billion yuan ($30.8 billion) and net profits exceeded 12.5 billion yuan ($2.06 billion).

In June 2013, Dalian Wanda planned to invest USD $1.1 billion to develop a five star hotel in London. The new hotel will be built by the Thames river in Vauxhall, South London as part of the Nine Elms regeneration. The move was welcomed by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.

In June 2013, the company purchased Sunseeker International Ltd., a U.K.-based maker of yachts used in the James Bond movies, for $500 million.

They are now getting into theme parks and i think they have 10+ announced in china with some already under construction. they investing $30b to build the parks in China
 
Yeah, whatever, not going to happen. There's already too many theme parks in the UK, and nobody will invest in the ones that do exist because they've all got suffocating limitations in some way or another.
 
I wouldn't at all be surprised if they invest in Paramount Park, as the place could be a huge hit with the Chinese audience.
 
would make sense if they were to invest in paramount park, especially as there other business inc hotels and cinemas which would also fit with the paramount development.
 
Over 30 billion USD investment in the theme park industry in three years is serious money. I've just heard the inverview and when asked about investment anywhere else in the world outside of China they immediately say the UK, if that is for any form of theme park then it has to be promising! They could we'll be looking to invest in Paramount, surely we aren't going to have two new parks on the cards!?

:)
 
What a shame, I inititally thought this was going to be a theme park inspired by the little known experimental electronic music project, Wanda Group!

 
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I can just imagine them building a theme park and developing carbon copies of rides already found in the UK. Although not related to the theme park industry, China's 'Land Wind' complete rip off of the Range Rover Evoque springs to mind (of course I'm in no way being stereotypical at all)
 
You know what, I'm really starting to wanda whether or not there is anything in this..

Sorry, I'll grab my coat and leave now! :p
 
The way people have been going on about this @Rob I think they've been suffering a bout of Wanda-lust.

(Grab my coat whilst you're there mate please?)
 
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