Paramount Parks to build theme park in Japan!

The Storyteller

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Paramount Parks announces intention to build park in Japan
Thursday, July 29, 2004 9:56 AM ET |

[Ed. note: The following press release was issued this morning.]

Paramount Parks announced today that the company has reached an agreement with Japan Trade, Inc., of Fukuoka, Japan, and its U.S. partner, Gateway Entertainment Group, LLC, of Orange County, Calif., to jointly develop and construct a world-class theme park in Japan featuring attractions and venues based on the Paramount studio’s rich archive of more than 3,000 film and television properties.

Under terms of the agreement, a Japanese holding company will be formed by Japan Trade, Gateway and other shareholders to fund the development and construction of the project. Paramount Parks, in exchange for service, design and consulting fees will have the option to acquire a minority interest in the holding company. The park will be designed, constructed and managed jointly by Paramount Parks and the holding company.

“This is an exciting project for us as we expand the Paramount Parks brand and our operations into Asia,” said Alexander Weber, Jr., president and CEO of Paramount Parks. This agreement represents a great opportunity for Paramount Parks, Japan Trade, Gateway Entertainment and the Fukuoka region in Japan. The project would certainly be one of the premier entertainment complexes in Asia.”

Japan Trade and Gateway, with the collaboration of the local municipality and various landowners in the area, has acquired land for the project in Hisayama Township, near Fukuoka, Japan and Paramount Parks has developed a customized park concept and development plan for the site.

The movie studio theme park will anchor the complex and will occupy 85 acres of land. It will include five highly themed zones featuring Paramount’s world-renowned brands. The attraction mix is designed to appeal to a broad spectrum of park goers and will bring to life, the vast array of entertainment experiences in the Paramount library … from Hollywood classics and adventure films to popular cartoons, action adventure hits and science fiction blockbusters. The attractions will immerse guests in the Paramount-branded experiences through a variety of intense thrill rides, water attractions, children’s adventures and multimedia and live entertainment shows. (The Paramount Parks in North America feature popular attractions based on movies and television shows like Top Gun, Tomb Raider, Star Trek and Nickelodeon.) The Japan project has been designed to appeal to young and old alike and draw both regional and travel market visitors.

The initial feasibility study for the project was executed by Economics Research Associates, of Los Angeles, Calif.

In addition to the movie studio theme park, the concept master plan for the site includes the development of several related educational and creative facilities adjacent to the park, including:

An independent educational center focusing on the advancement of entertainment arts and sciences in Asia
A state-of-the-art IT center emphasizing media and entertainment
And studio facilities for the creation of films, television programming and music
UCLA Extension’s Department of Entertainment Studies will act as the primary anchor for the educational center.

The Hisayama site will also feature a resort style complex with three luxury hotels for guests visiting the park and/or the educational center.

When complete, the entire complex will be a world-class entertainment facility for Fukuoka region.

“Paramount is pleased to announce this partnership for the development of a movie studio theme park in Japan. We have long held an interest in this strong market and we are excited to take this next step in the development process,” said Michael Bartok, executive vice president – business affairs for Paramount Parks.

Kazunori Yamasaki, president of Japan Trade, stated, “I am delighted that we are able to make a public announcement about this project. This would not have happened without cooperation of all people who are concerned with this project. I hope this project will contribute to the economy and employment of Fukuoka, my hometown. I am determined to push forward with all of our effort to the opening of the park targeted for 2010.”

Michael DeStefano, president of Gateway added, “We are extremely pleased with the progress of this project. Our American and Japanese teams worked very hard on the Paramount movie studio park concept and it is exciting to see the project move to the next level. We are confident that the park will be a great success and offer tremendous economic benefits to the citizens of Hisayama, Fukuoka City, and Japan. We look forward to starting the Design and Development phase in the coming months.”
 

McFraggle

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I would like to take the opportunity to extoll the virtues of Paramount's Kings Island just above Cincinnati, OH.

It is awesome!
 

The Storyteller

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Paramount's Kings Island is the 20th most visited park in the world. It's two kids areas(Nickelodeon Central and Hanna-Barbera Land) have been voted BEST kid's area in the world at any theme park(Even beating Disney!)! And it's star roller coaster, The Beast, has been voted the best wooden roller coaster in the world for the past 20 years! It's Paramount's star park, it has the highest atendance of any Paramount Park.
 

Muppetsdownunder

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I've never even heard of a paramount theme park. Is that Paramount as in Paramount Pictures?
 

BoyRaisin2

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Yep, both part of Viacom Inc. There are a few in te U.S. and one in Canada. Never been to one, but they're there.

Off-topic, I'm surprised there are still "Hanna-Barbera Lands" since H-B (A Time Warner Company) apparently no longer exists. But anyway...
 

Muppetsdownunder

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They had a park in Sydney called Wonderland which featured many of the Hanna Barberra characters. it sadly closed a few months ago, its sad because its the only theme park in Sydney or in the state I think. We don't have hundreds of theme parks like the US unfortunately. A disneyland here would be great! but then it would probably drive visitors away from the US a bit! not that thats the only reason to come, its a bonus!
 

The Storyteller

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The COmplete history of Paramount Parks:
In 1968 Taft Broadcasting(witich owned Hanna-Barbera Productions) purchased a small theme park in Cincinnati, OH called Coney Island(NO, not the one in NYC, but the one in Ohio!). And for years COney Island had wanted to move from it's spot on the riverfront(It was located along the Ohio River.). The main reason for this was for the unpredictable floods every year. So Taft purchased some 1,600 acres of land outside of Cincinnati for $2,000 per acre. In 1972 Coney Island was closed down, and Kings Island was opened(It was named after the road it was built along!). Ones it's first major features was Hanna-Barbera Land(Witich used Hanna-Barbera Characters in it.), witich was the first Kids themed area in any regional theme park(A "Regional Theme Park" is a park that is mainly know by the people live near it.). In 1975 Taft opened up it's second theme park King Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. It was mainly a clone of Kings Island. It 1976 Taft purchased Carowinds(A small theme park build in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1973 themed to the Carolinas.). In 1980 Taft opened up Canada's Wonderland(Taft/KECO/Paramount only owns about 20% of the park the rest is owned by a group of Investors.) in Toronto, Canada. In 1983 Taft sold the parks off to a group of investors lead by senior heads of Taft. The new company was called KECO(Witich standed for Kings Entertainment Company). Taft keep Hanna-Barbera, but they worked out a liscencing(Spelling?) agreement witch aslong as the parks are open the parks can't drop the Hanna-Barbera liscense. In 1985 KECO opened up Australia's Wonderland. In 1989 Taft sold Hanna-Barbera to Turner Broadcasting. In 1986 the city of Santa Clara in California purchased Marriott's Great America(A park built by the Marriott hotel company in Santa Clara in 1976 to celebrate America's 200th Birthday.). KECO was hired to manage the park with a five year contract in witich it would have the option to buy the park. In 1990 Taft went under, most of it's assets are what is know Clear Channel Communications. In 1991 KECO purchased Great America. In 1992 KECO went under too. All of it's North American parks where sold to Paramount Communications. In November 1992 Paramount anouced it would be renaming the parks. All would Have the Paramount name added. Australia's Wonderland was keep out of the sale, Paramount didn't want it. It was sold to a group of Australia investors(The Hanna-Barbera liscense didn't apple to this park due to it being build AFTER the Taft Sale.). Then to SUNWAY witich in April 2004 closed the park down after losing money on it's investment.
In 1993 Paramount Parks was Paramount's biggest divison by way of Profit. In 1994 VIACOM anounced it was going to make the biggest merger up-to-that-time by purchasing Paramount Communications. Paramount also manages a small theme park in Gilroy, CA named Bofante Gardens and a theme park in Spain called Terra Mitica.Today Paramount Parks are considered by many to the best theme parks in the world.

Links:
http://www.paramountparks.com/
http://www.pgathrills.com/
http://www.carowinds.com/
http://www.pki.com/
http://www.kingsdominion.com/
http://www.canadas-wonderland.com/
http://www.bonfantegardens.com/
http://www.terramiticapark.com/
http://www.coasterbuzz.com/
http://www.anmpkd.com/
http://www.screamscape.com/
http://www.pkiunlimited.com/
 

McFraggle

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Nice breakdown. Good to see a fellow PKI fan.
 

The Storyteller

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McFraggle, have you been to Boomerang Bay yet? Every time I go this year it has rained, and Boomerang Bay has been closed. :boo:
 

McFraggle

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No, I haven't made it to the park this year yet. I hope to go later this year sometime.
 
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