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Making fun in Moscow New parks proposed – but is the market there?
Following the introduction of a new state programme called “Development of leisure and tourism industry in Russia during the period of 2012-2016 years,” the Moscow government is mulling over a couple of ambitious park projects. Eugene Gerden reports
the country’s amusement industry, taking into account that at present the capital lags far behind many other major metropolitan markets in terms of the number of parks and their technical condition.
M
While the idea to build a “Disneyland” in the USSR was proposed by the communist leader Nikita Khrushchev in 1960s, the project was never implemented. After the collapse of the USSR and the end of a series political and economical crisises in Russia, the city’s government decided to resume implementation of the project. However, what we have today is a selection of smaller amusement parks with no theming, plus a few newer family entertainments centres (FECs).
There is a possibility that the first Russian theme park could be started in the Lower Mnevniki (north west) district of Moscow. According to plans lodged with the city authorities by Arabian investors, the new park would cost up to USD$3.5 billion and cover an area of 316 hectares. The ambitious attendance target is reported as between 50,000-70,000 visitors per day. Deputy mayor of Moscow, Lyudmila Shevtsova says the project will be adapted to the cold Russian climate, which means that the majority of its attractions could be indoors, similar to Lotte World in
Expert opinion
How realistic are the new projects proposed in Moscow, and could Gorky Park save the day? Park World asked Igor Rodionov, the Russian Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions’ new first vice-president, for his expert opinion
Moscow’s amusement parks are visited by more than 15.5 million people annually. In 2011, the municipal government provided a substantial amount of money for reconstruction and improvement of these parks, and is planning to implement further improvements. In fact, the “Development of leisure and tourism industry for 2012-2016” programme is the first time Moscow authorities have paid so much attention to our industry. In terms of infrastructure, a lot of development has been made at Gorky Park with the aim of recapturing its original historic appearance. The park’s function will be changed significantly and it is intended that, for the most part, it will be a place for the calm recreation of city dwellers. It is worth noting that there are no amusement rides in Gorky Park at the moment. The most extreme ride area in Moscow is now located at the VVTs (All-Russian Exhibition Centre). One of the most popular amusement areas within the capital, here Izmailovo Park and Sokolniki Park offer a variety of amusement rides, including rollercoasters and a giant Ferris wheel. Nowadays, indoor entertainment complexes are actively being built in Russia, including two fairly large indoor theme parks that have already opened in Moscow. Another opened in St Petersburg and there are also some interesting projects being implemented in the regions. However, at present there is not, unfortunately, one single large theme park in Russia. Major tourist destinations such as Moscow and St Petersburg seem quite fitting places for the implementation of a theme park, and information about huge projects for the capital periodically appear in the media. For example, there is “Magic Kingdom Russia“ in Lower Mnevniki (as highlighted on this page), detailed information on which has yet to be been confirmed. Taking shape in Sochi, host city for the next Winter Olympics, is “Sochi-Park”, which should be open by the start of games in February 2014. This park may well become the first Russian theme park on an international level, open year round.
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oscow has long needed a large and modern amusement park. The implementation of such a project could be very important for
Moscow’s largest ride area is currently located at the VVTs (All-Russia Exhibition Centre)
Seoul, South Korea. However the prospect of an undercover park on this scale has already sparked protests among some Russian analysts, who believe such a facility would feature a small number of attractions, in favour of gaming machines. Another large theme park has been proposed in the shape of Magic World Russia, which would occupy an area over 240 hectares and comprise multiple theme park concepts as well as hotels, retail, dining and other entertainment. The $2.5 billion development by MIG 2000 would be located around 50km north of Moscow and realised with the assistance of several companies from California including The Goddard Group, ProFun and Brand Studios. There is always the possibility that the first Russian theme park could be built on the site of Gorky Park, which remains one of the most visited destinations in Moscow but has long been in need of renovation. However it is understood that any transformation of this site may take place through the modernisation of its existing infrastructure, not necessarily through the implementation of new rides and attractions. While Alexander Timofeev, CEO of MT Development, one of Russia’s leading commercial property developers, says the payback period of the project could be in the range of seven to 10 years, other believe each of these projects may not be paid back even in the long term. According to Vladimir Gnezdilov, director of the
Russian Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (RAAPA), the first Russian theme park may also be faced with a low demand from local citizens, due to Russian living standards and the purchasing power of the local population. Today, the number of people who regularly attend amusement parks in Moscow remains relatibely low, due to high ticket prices and lack of international tourists, who visit the Russian capital mainly for business reasons. The biggest challenge will be to chage such habits in order to stimiulate the market for the kind of projects that are being proposed.
Eugene Gerden is a freelance journalist based in Moscow.
FEBRUARY 2012
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