Disney
said to be looking at a theme park in Singapore
Indiantelevision.com
Team
(11 September
2006 2: 00 pm)
MUMBAI: Media conglomerate Disney is said to be looking
at the possibility of a theme park in Singapore. It
is talking to Singapore authorities on the matter.
Media
reports indicate that Disney has been in discussions
with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) on a possible
theme park in Marina East, which will cover a land
area of around 30 hectares. The
site in question is an empty plot of land beside the
new 18-hole Marina Bay Golf Course at Tanjong Rhu,
operated by a unit of NTUC Club.
Market talk indicates that Disney could get prime
land to build the theme park without going through
a tender. It will unsettle bidders for a family-themed
integrated resort with casino on the resort island
of Sentosa.
Reports
indicate that in the 1990s, Singapore almost had its
own Disneyland in the Seletar area. However, Disney
wanted land that was four times bigger than its Tokyo
attraction but was not prepared to spend its own money.
Coming
back to the current scenario, bidders for the Sentosa
site include Genting International PLC (G13.SG), which
has promised to build a Universal Studios theme park
if successful, and a joint venture between Kerzner
International Ltd. (KZL) and Southeast Asia's largest
developer CapitaLand Ltd. (C31.SG). The tender for
the Sentosa site closes next month.
