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Turner
International, which owns and operates the leading kids channel
brands in India Cartoon Network and Pogo, has announced its
entry into the theme parks business.
By
mid-2007, Turner expects to have two branded theme parks up
and running in the capital --- Cartoon Network Townsville
and Planet Pogo.
Making
the announcement in the capital today, Turner Entertainment
Networks Asia senior vice president and general manager Ian
Diamond said his company has entered into a strategic business
alliance with International Recreation Parks Private Ltd (which
built Delhi's famous Appu Ghar) for Townsville, and the Unitech
Amusement Parks Ltd for Planet Pogo.
Cartoon Network Townsville will be situated in Sector 38 A,
Noida in the children's section of the park known as 'Worlds
of Wonder'. While, Planet Pogo will be located within the
60-acre 'Adventure Island' park being built in Rohini's Sector
10.
The
3.5 acre Planet Pogo, with eight rides and seven themed attractions,
will be open to the public by the fourth quarter of 2006 and
the 6.8 acre Townsville with 13 theme rides will open in mid
2007.
Turner
has not yet disclosed the price of entry tickets and time
limit for visitors. The total investment for the project will
be around Rs 5.5 billion, which will be done in conjunction
with two partners.
Reiterating
Turner's commitment to India, Diamond said, "As kids'
entertainment superbrands, our constant endeavour has been
to provide a 'complete' lifestyle brand experience through
every initiative that we launch in India. It is, thereby,
only fitting that we extend our expertise in the realm of
theme parks, providing for the very first time, world-class,
next-generation theme parks that will truly catapult India
into the international map of high quality destination entertainment
centres for kids and their families."
Said
Cartoon Network Enterprises' director India and South Asia
Jiggy George, "It is our vision to develop a 21st century
entertainment centre so creative in concept and so exciting
in application that visitors will continue to discover new
ways to enjoy the theme parks. Once again, we combine local
and global expertise to develop a destination dedicated exclusively
for Indian kids and their families. Some of the rides being
made for the parks will have their global launch with the
parks' opening. There will be thrilling rides and both the
theme parks will be world class. Traffic consultant MVA, which
manages the city traffic in Hong Kong, has been roped in to
regulate the visitors' flow in the theme parks.''
George
further added, "Having established a strong-footing in
the country with our licensing and merchandising businesses,
the theme parks mark the dawn of the next chapter of kids'
entertainment in the country."
Cartoon
Network presently has theme parks in Argentina, Italy, United
States and Australia.
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