Company Profile
www.parkworld-online.com
In 1996, Wet World waterpark opened in Shah Alam, and a year later debuted the first Master Blaster water coaster outside North America. Koh, who at the time was acting as an agent for NBGS, went on to install a larger, family version of the ride at Desa Water Park in Kuala Lumpur in 1999. Designs for other waterparks followed, but the Wet World brand was his own, and he established further parks near Negeri Sembilan and Johor in southern Malaysia.
Marketed as “neighbourhood” waterparks with low admission, Wet World opeates in a different sector of the market to Malaysia’s more high profile resort parks like Sunway Lagoon and Genting Highlands, but Only World Group has interests there too. World Equipment’s waterpark expertise landed it the contract to construct the world’s largest surf pool at Sunway Lagoon back in 1997. Built 170ft below ground level inside the crater of a former quarry in Petaling Jaya, this popular venue includes a separate amusement park, waterpark, wildlife park, extreme park and scream park. World Equipment was also responsible for installing the amusement park’s Wild West-themed Zamperla Ferris Wheel, Buffalo Coaster and Log Flume.
Riding around the venue in a golf kart with Sunway
Lagoon CEO Aaron Soo, it’s clear he and the Only World Group boss enjoy great camaraderie. Koh, however, is happy to take a back seat (it gives him chance to get back on his BlackBerry).
Parks of all Sizes
Soo is keen to show us his new animal habitats. “How long do you think they have been here?” he asks. Blending in with their forest-like surroundings, they look like they have been here forever, the “natural” theming belying the fact they are just a year old.
Billed as “a tropical oasis in the heart of the city,” Sunway Lagoon is a unique offering, combing several different but complementary parks in an apparently natural setting that is in fact completely manmade. At the opposite side of Kuala Lumpur, about an
hour’s drive north, is Resorts World Genting. This large hotel and casino complex is located 7,000 metres above sea level and, for those of us without a helicopter, the only way to reach it is a via a long
and winding 20km access road. Vertigo sufferers or those without vehicles in tip top condition might want to stay away.
Still known to many as Genting Highlands, the resort was rebranded by Genting International as part of its Resorts World chain of properties, which also includes Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore and Resorts World Manila in the Philippines. Although gaming is the driver that keeps each venue ticking, family entertainment is also an important part of the offer in and Malaysia and Singapore. The latter is home to the new Universal Studios park, where World Equipment had a hand in theming and installing several attractions. At Resorts World Genting, Only World boasts several of its own operations and, once again, all began when Koh supplied a ride. “When the safari park closed, we took the Cyclone coaster up to Genting,” he recalls. “They didn’t care so much at the time for amusement, but I said, ‘let’s try it out. If it’s good you can buy it, otherwise we can do profit sharing.’ It did so well they bought it.” Steadily, Koh’s company began kitting out the
peak-top Genting Theme Park, installing such attractions as a Vekoma Corkscrew, Log Flume and an S&S tower ride. The most recent addition was the Flying Coaster (Volare), by Zamperla, although the Cyclone is still going strong. A package of new rides including a Zamperla Disk ‘O’ Coaster, Discovery and Music Express, SBF Miami and ProSlide Rocket Coaster will be installed towards the end of this year.
Adjoining the outdoor rides and attractions is the massive First World Plaza 24-hour entertainment complex. Here Only World Group operates Malaysia’s only Ripley’s Believe it or Not! “Odditorium,” a Haunted Adventure walk through show, Jungle Gym play centre and a selection of casual dining outlets. For those that find First World Plaza’s round-the- clock entertainment a little too taxing, Only World Group recently opened the Pedas Springs family spa, which includes a neighbouring Jungle Gym adventure playground complete with children’s spa. The company also operates a handful of other play centres in and around Kuala Lumpur, together with two Roller Sports Worlds.
WetWorld
The Wet World chain of waterparks is one of Only World Group's key attraction brands. The first park opened back in 1996, spanning a 25,000 sq m site in the Kuala Lumpur suburb of Shah Alam. Its key attractions include the world's first Master Blaster water coaster outside North America, although this is set to be replaced by a ProSlide Rocket Coaster as part of an upgrade and retheming of the park to incorporate the cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants. Further Wet World parks appear at the Air Panas Pedas Resort in Negeri Sembilan and Batu Pahat in Johor, the latter earmarked for a major expansion including a shopping mall and hotel. Each Wet World is marketed as a “neighbourhood waterpark” with admission set at just RM10 ($3/€2.50), although this is expected to rise with the arrival of SpongeBob.
Ripley’s
Malaysia's first and still only Ripley's Believe It or Not! outlet opened at Genting Highlands' First World Plaza in 2002. The 12,000 sq ft “Odditorium” is operated on a franchise basis by the Only World Group and features over 500 unique curiosities. Also featured as part of the attraction is a Haunted Adventure walk through show. Opening a Ripley's in this high traffic location was a “no- brainer” for Only World Group chairman Dato Richard Koh: “I'd known Bob [Masterson, Ripley Entertainment chairman] for many years so when the opportunity came along at Genting I thought I'd better do one!”
The world’s largest surf pool by World Equipment at Sunway Lagoon
JULY 2010
One of the Zamperla rides installed by World Equipment at Sunway Lagoon
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