Chinese company plans $600 million Gold Coast theme park
Last October's Dreamworld tragedy hasn't put off a Chinese entertainment company from plans to build a multimillion dollar theme park on the Gold Coast.
Songcheng Performance Development announced on Thursday it was seeking approval to develop a AU$600 million initial stage of the park, which will be called Australian Legendary World.
The company has paid $55 million for a 45-hectare block of land in Nerang where it aims to develop the site.
It will be the first time Songcheng - which operates 30 theme parks across China - has invested outside its native country.
Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, who initiated talks with Songcheng during a trade mission to China, said the tragedy at Dreamworld hadn't had an impact on the Chinese company's enthusiasm.
"People still want man-made fun," Mr Tate said.
"Their (Songcheng) vision is very long-term. They're a culture theme park so the tragedy in Dreamworld ... I think they'll bounce back and it'll be business as usual."
Songcheng chairman Huang Qiaoling, who is valued at $1.65 billion, said the proposed new attraction would not be competing with the region's existing theme parks.
"We are here to focus on culture," Mr Huang said via an interpreter.
"We are complimentary to each other."
The proposed attraction will feature a scale model of Uluru which will double as the park's entrance-way and house a "snow and ice world" attraction inside.
Areas around the park will focus on Aboriginal culture, the arrival of Captain Cook, Australia's gold rush era and the Chinese migrants who worked in the country at that time.
Mr Tate said council expects to receive a development application within the year, with construction to commence if council approves the plan.
Do you think the Gold Coast needs another theme park?
First appeared on Stuff.co.nz.
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