The boss of Disney has confirmed the firm is awaiting approval
from the Chinese Government to build a theme park in Shanghai after
successful talks with city leaders.
Group Chairman George Mitchell said the company had been in
discussions with Shanghai officials for "a long period of time" to
build a new Disneyland in the metropolis.
He added talks were now under way between the Shanghai municipal
government and the State Council, which has the final say over the
project.
"Our discussions have been with Shanghai officials, and now they
are engaging with the national officials," said Mitchell.
"We have an interest in proceeding and we hope that satisfactory
terms can be worked out and we can proceed."
Mitchell made the comments to China Daily while in
Beijing to attend the official opening of a branch of DLA Piper, a
global law firm of which he is also the chairman.
Speculation over Disney's plan to open a theme park in Shanghai
intensified after the opening of Disneyland Hong Kong last
September.
Mitchell insisted there was a market for both attractions, and
that a new park in Shanghai would not be detrimental to the
long-term success of the Hong Kong site.
"There has been very careful analysis from us and Chinese
Government officials," he said.
"There are a very large number of people in the Shanghai area
and we don't think that this (a new park) will have any more of a
negative effect on Hong Kong than say having a park both in
California and Orlando, Florida.
"We are looking forward to a long and what we hope will be a
productive relationship in Hong Kong and Shanghai."
While Mitchell said he was "very pleased" with the operation in
Hong Kong, he admitted there had been some problems.
During the Chinese New Year holidays in February, the park had
to close its gates to hundreds of visitors holding pre-purchased
tickets after it reached the maximum accommodation capability soon
after opening.
"These kinds of issues always occur at every new park in
different contexts, but we try to work them out and we try to be
sensitive to what local people want," said Mitchell.
"We always make very careful plans over how we are going to
operate, but things can never turn out exactly as you predict.
"There is always a period of adaptation."
As previously reported, it is believed an area of land in
Pudong's Chuansha area has already been earmarked for the Shanghai
park.
Mitchell said it was impossible to put a timeframe on the
project.
"We try to proceed as quickly as possible after the execution of
the contract, but until we execute a contract we don't get into
when we are going to start," he said.
(China Daily June 24, 2006)