Jerusalem Post Reports Disney Amusement Park in Haifa, Israel

[atsolomon]

Hey all,

A dunam is about a 1/4 of an acre, as I recall. This couldn't be a park. Does anyone have any idea what this might be?

I remember getting excited about the rumored Israel pavilion in EPCOT Center in the 80's.

--Adam



http://www.jpost.com/Business/Globes/Article.aspx?id=202096

Disney plans park for Haifa area
By MICHAL MARGALIT
01/03/2011 22:47

80-dunam complex to include cinemas, shops and a 30,000-sq.-m. amusement park.

New Lineo Cinemas (2006) Ltd., owned by the Edery family and Walt Disney Company investment arm Shamrock Holdings, plans to build a NIS 600 million 25-screen multiplex and Disney amusement park at the Check Post exit from the Carmel Tunnel in Haifa, the companies announced Monday.

New Lineo owns the Cinema City Ltd. multiplexes in Ramat Hasharon and Rishon Lezion.

The entertainment complex will be built on an 80- dunam site and will include 50,000 square meters of cinemas and shops and a 30,000-sq.-m. Disney amusement park. The land is owned by a local family. The new complex will be near the Cinemall, which has stores and a 23-screen Yes Planet multiplex.

“This plan expresses confidence in our plans to turn Haifa Bay in a thriving business area,” Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav said. “The plan began with the municipality’s assistance in the building of Cinemall and the upgrade of the mall, previously known as the Lev Hamifratz Mall, and the building of the transport hub for the cable car, which carries passengers up to the Technion and Haifa University.”

 

[zooey]

Still thinking that Disney has nothing to do with this. That investment firm is independent and can do whatever it wants. I think the media is confused by their connection thinking that it is a Disney amusement park when it is not. I may be wrong, but I can't imagine Disney would venture into this territory.
-zoo

 

[yeti]

Smells like more Shijingshan mischief to me...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-JULFxB0sk

 

[Victoria]

Bizarre. Conan even mentioned this in his opening monologue tonight. I'm not buying it. I don't think Disney would make an announcement this big with practically no fanfare. I think some journalist along the way made a wild assumption based on shoddy research. What we are watching right now is a snowball effect since the word Disney was mentioned.

 

[flavious27]

30,000 sq ft? That is only 3/4 of an acre, isn't that about the area of the tea cups?

 

[Pioneer Hall]

Hey all,

A dunam is about a 1/4 of an acre, as I recall. This couldn't be a park. Does anyone have any idea what this might be?

I remember getting excited about the rumored Israel pavilion in EPCOT Center in the 80's.

--Adam



http://www.jpost.com/Business/Globes/Article.aspx?id=202096

Disney plans park for Haifa area
By MICHAL MARGALIT
01/03/2011 22:47

80-dunam complex to include cinemas, shops and a 30,000-sq.-m. amusement park.

New Lineo Cinemas (2006) Ltd., owned by the Edery family and Walt Disney Company investment arm Shamrock Holdings, plans to build a NIS 600 million 25-screen multiplex and Disney amusement park at the Check Post exit from the Carmel Tunnel in Haifa, the companies announced Monday.

New Lineo owns the Cinema City Ltd. multiplexes in Ramat Hasharon and Rishon Lezion.

The entertainment complex will be built on an 80- dunam site and will include 50,000 square meters of cinemas and shops and a 30,000-sq.-m. Disney amusement park. The land is owned by a local family. The new complex will be near the Cinemall, which has stores and a 23-screen Yes Planet multiplex.

“This plan expresses confidence in our plans to turn Haifa Bay in a thriving business area,” Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav said. “The plan began with the municipality’s assistance in the building of Cinemall and the upgrade of the mall, previously known as the Lev Hamifratz Mall, and the building of the transport hub for the cable car, which carries passengers up to the Technion and Haifa University.”

Look at my bold part to see the problem. Shamrock holdings is in NO WAY affiliated with the Walt Disney Company. It is an investment firm that is run by Stanley Gold (former Disney board member) and Roy Disney (no introduction needed). This is where the rumors are coming from, because people aren't doing their homework. I have no doubt that something is coming to this area, and shamrock has some money in it. However, this project seems to have NOTHING to do with Disney.

 

[rsoxguy]

Are turkey legs and Dole Whips Kosher?

 

[Lee]

Look at my bold part to see the problem. Shamrock holdings is in NO WAY affiliated with the Walt Disney Company. It is an investment firm that is run by Stanley Gold (former Disney board member) and Roy Disney (no introduction needed). This is where the rumors are coming from, because people aren't doing their homework. I have no doubt that something is coming to this area, and shamrock has some money in it. However, this project seems to have NOTHING to do with Disney.

Exactly.
This is not a Disney project. Sloppy reporting is all it is.

 

[atsolomon]

Are turkey legs and Dole Whips Kosher?

LOL. They can be, but you can't have them at the same meal; you'd be mixing milk and meat.

I went to Haifa University back in 1989. It would have been good to have had some wholesome entertainment to keep me out of the Ahuza pub.

Yeah, this is a really small site. It would fit a Disney store, not even a small park.

--Adam

 

[PeterAlt]

Wasn't Shamrock Holdings taken over by Disney Enterprises after Roy died?

I've checked other sources and all seem to be quoting from a press release that says the exact same thing.

Interesting, though, one source quoted someone involved in the project as saying that there will be Disney rides and the theme park area will cost US$200 million. At the price, there's room for at least one or two E-ticket rides and several smaller attractions.

No doubt this park will be small - the smallest Disney park to date, but if it does well the partners could always decide to invest more.

If the new government in Egypt sticks with their peace treaty with Israel, Egyptians are potential visitors to this park, as are people from other Arab nations at peace with Israel, such as Jordan and Turkey. Palestinians are also potential visitors, depending on how peace talks go.

It's interesting that they picked Haifa for this development because Haifa is actually half Arab. These Arabs are 100% Israeli and even speak Hebrew. Haifa is a great example of how Jews and Arabs could live peacefully and prosper together.

This is not the first time Disney attempted to build a theme park in Israel. After Israel signed the peace treaty with Jordan in the mid 1990's, Imagineers proposed building a park at the Israel-Jordan border in land in Ellot, Israel and Aquba, Jordan. Although both governments green lit the project, Disney backed out because of security concerns.

 

[flavious27]

Wasn't Shamrock Holdings taken over by Disney Enterprises after Roy died?

I've checked other sources and all seem to be quoting from a press release that says the exact same thing.

Interesting, though, one source quoted someone involved in the project as saying that there will be Disney rides and the theme park area will cost US$200 million. At the price, there's room for at least one or two E-ticket rides and several smaller attractions.

No doubt this park will be small - the smallest Disney park to date, but if it does well the partners could always decide to invest more.

If the new government in Egypt sticks with their peace treaty with Israel, Egyptians are potential visitors to this park, as are people from other Arab nations at peace with Israel, such as Jordan and Turkey. Palestinians are also potential visitors, depending on how peace talks go.

It's interesting that they picked Haifa for this development because Haifa is actually half Arab. These Arabs are 100% Israeli and even speak Hebrew. Haifa is a great example of how Jews and Arabs could live peacefully and prosper together.

This is not the first time Disney attempted to build a theme park in Israel. After Israel signed the peace treaty with Jordan in the mid 1990's, Imagineers proposed building a park at the Israel-Jordan border in land in Ellot, Israel and Aquba, Jordan. Although both governments green lit the project, Disney backed out because of security concerns.

A $200 million mini disney park would be about 20 acres, which is the size of this development.

The 30,000 sq foot size quote is about the size of DQ's footprint.