Malaysia, Disney in talks on theme park in Johor state

[PennysBayChronicle]

Malaysia, Disney in talks on theme park in Johor state


Monday, October 1, 2007


KUALA LUMPUR -- Walt Disney Co. is holding talks with Malaysia's investment arm Khazanah Nasional about developing a theme park in southern Johor state facing Singapore, a business paper reported Sunday.

The Edge, a business weekly, said Walt Disney officials met officials from Khazanah last week on developing a park in the Iskandar Development Region.
"They (Walt Disney) met Khazanah managing director Azman Mokhtar and had discussions with other top Khazanah executives," it said.


But it said Khazanah was also in negotiations with other theme park players including Warner Brothers.


The Edge said Khazanah would make a decision on its choice of partner by year's end.


The report comes amid ongoing construction work on the Universal Studios theme park in Singapore.


Muslim-majority Malaysia has embarked on an ambitious development plan to spread growth and jobs in Johor state, and has been keen to attract investment from the Middle East.


Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi hopes to attract 50 billion ringgit


(US$14.2 billion) to the Iskandar Development Region over five years.

Source : The China Post

傳馬國建迪士尼樂園


01/10/2007

【本報訊】美國環球片場將進駐新加坡聖淘沙度假村兼賭場，據稱華特迪士尼亦不甘後人，正考慮在新加坡毗鄰的 馬來西亞興建另一個迪士尼主題樂園。迪士尼方面暫時未對有關消息有回應。馬 來西亞有報道指出，迪士尼代表上周與當地財團Khazanah Nasional的高層見面，商討在馬來西亞柔佛州的Iskandar發展區興建主題樂園的可行性，該區鄰 近新加坡，若拍板興建新的旅遊娛樂設施，料會以 新加坡為主要市場。馬國政府近年銳意吸引外資發展Iskandar，消息稱，Khazanah Nasional財團除跟迪士尼會面，亦與華納公司商討合作事宜。

Source : ORISUN News(similar news reported by The China Post above)

Another Rumor and Gossip on Theme Park in Malaysia

Why I post it here? because this news was also mentioned in some local Chinese Newspapers. (ORISUN News now, not Apple daily)

Let me guess....

HK Government and The Walt Disney Company might be in the middle of Negotiation right now....

[mclubber]

Re: Malaysia, Disney in talks on theme park in Johor state

As I see it, they are just discussing because Singapore is getting Universal. Putting a large scale Disney project in Malaysia may hurt HKDL because its located in Southeast Asia. Its viewed too close to HK.

[Loomis]

Re: Malaysia, Disney in talks on theme park in Johor state

It seems almost every country in the region is claiming they are in talks with Disney to develop a new theme park, while Disney and insiders continue to claim that there is little to no chance of building any new theme parks in the future, but rather concentrating on consolidating what they have. As such, I have learned to take almost every "in talks" story with a massive sack of salt.

However, with Universal and Singapore on the cards, I have no doubt other theme parks will be wanting in on the area. Disney certainly wouldn't want to draw any more numbers away from the flailing HK park!

[josh_kslow]

Re: Malaysia, Disney in talks on theme park in Johor state

As I see it, they are just discussing because Singapore is getting Universal. Putting a large scale Disney project in Malaysia may hurt HKDL because its located in Southeast Asia. Its viewed too close to HK.

If it would hurt HKDL, how about the long rumoured Shanghai Disneyland. That will hurt HKDL more than this . Shanghai is much more nearer to Hong Kong and the crowd will definitely be from Mainland China.

However , Johor's crowd will be more international as Australian can also come by Malaysia's newest long-haul low cost carrier, Air Asia X. British Airways is also showing interest in reviving its KUL-London route. This will also complement Singapore's Universal Studio as this will create competition and make both parks better.