Shanghai Plans Disney Park But No Go-ahead Yet:City Mayor
DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
March 7, 2006 6:07 a.m.
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BEIJING (AP)--Shanghai's mayor says the city is making preparations to build a Disney theme park, but is still awaiting the go-ahead from China's central government.
"Shanghai wants to build a Disney park and has hoped for a long time to do so. But we can't be sure when construction work will begin," Han Zheng told reporters Tuesday during the annual session of the national legislature in Beijing.
"Shanghai has the right conditions to build a park, and we're not carrying forward all aspects of the preparatory work," Han said.
Han said only the State Council, China's Cabinet, could give permission to build a park.
Disney spokeswoman Alannah Goss said in January that the company was talking to Shanghai authorities about building a park in the financial hub, but no agreement has been reached.
A Shanghai park could compete with Hong Kong's newly opened Disneyland, which has counted on mainland Chinese tourists as a major source of visitors.
Hong Kong Disneyland is a joint venture between Walt Disney Co. (DIS) and the local government, which shouldered the bulk of the park's construction fees.
-Edited by Hilary Mc Cully
DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
March 7, 2006 6:07 a.m.
--
BEIJING (AP)--Shanghai's mayor says the city is making preparations to build a Disney theme park, but is still awaiting the go-ahead from China's central government.
"Shanghai wants to build a Disney park and has hoped for a long time to do so. But we can't be sure when construction work will begin," Han Zheng told reporters Tuesday during the annual session of the national legislature in Beijing.
"Shanghai has the right conditions to build a park, and we're not carrying forward all aspects of the preparatory work," Han said.
Han said only the State Council, China's Cabinet, could give permission to build a park.
Disney spokeswoman Alannah Goss said in January that the company was talking to Shanghai authorities about building a park in the financial hub, but no agreement has been reached.
A Shanghai park could compete with Hong Kong's newly opened Disneyland, which has counted on mainland Chinese tourists as a major source of visitors.
Hong Kong Disneyland is a joint venture between Walt Disney Co. (DIS) and the local government, which shouldered the bulk of the park's construction fees.
-Edited by Hilary Mc Cully
