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Paris rendezvous Kernels
Global safety standard moves one step closer following pre-EAS meetings
The Goddard Group is leading the creative team working on a new 4D attraction for New York City. Opening in spring 2015 at 217 West 42nd Street in Manhattan, Broadway 4D will present songs from musicals by the likes of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Weber, and many other composers, performed by some of the greatest stars of the musical theatre. Goddard Group CEO Gary Goddard is a Tony Award-winning Broadway producer and pioneer of 3D/4D attractions. He will work on the multimedia production alongside his head of live events, Forbes Candlish (who also boasts a Tony to his name) and various Hollywood producers and industry figures.
A custom-made Zamperla Twister Coaster with a 350m long track will be part of the brand new Mall of Istanbul, in Turkey
Safety experts meet at Disneyland Paris to discuss European standards
During this autumn’s Euro Attractions Show (see review last issue), a team of industry experts met at venues across in and around Paris to discuss progress on reaching a European and international set of standards for amusement device safety. Parc Astérix, Disneyland Resort Paris and French standard association AFNOR provided the host venues for the meetings of the ISO TC 254 working group on international standards and the CEN TC 152 WG1 group, responsible for ride safety standards in Europe. The meetings were agreed to have been very successful, allowing the progress of the standards in their various parts through to finalisation which is expected to be approved early next year for publication in 2015. The European standard will cover the design and manufacture in the first part and operation and use in the second, whereas the ISO (international) standard will come in three parts, covering design/manufacture, operation/use and inspection respectively. Thanks for the photo to Leisure Technical Services (
ltci.co.uk), whose managing director Bob Nicholls has for many years been at the forefront of standards development with the BSI (British Standards Institute).
More information on the ISO TC 254 group at
bit.ly/1hF0Zyz
richest man Wang Jilan, chairman of the Dalian Wanda Group, tops a special Chinese edition of the Forbes Rich List, released last month. The 59- year-old’s net worth is estimated at US$14.2 billion. Through direct ownership, various shell companies and investment vehicles, Wang and his family own 100% of the Wanda Group.
As well as its domestic cinema, hotel, theme park and real estate empire, Wanda is growing internationally. Last year, for example, is acquired the US cinema chain AMC, making it the world’s largest screener of movies. It recently entered into a partnership with Merlin Entertainments to open a Madame Tussauds outlet in Wuhan, and has many of its own parks and attractions lined up here and in other cities across China. Read our interview with Yuan Wang, the man overseeing Wanda Cultural Tourism’s park and attractions business at
bit.ly/18NbhEQ
wanda.cn 26 Wanda chief is China’s
Dollywood and Silver Dollar City operator Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation (HFE) has diversified beyond its core themed attraction business focus by acquiring Harlem Globetrotters International (HGI), owner of the famous New York City basketball team. Exposing HFE to new media, audiences and markets, the deal brings the company a popular brand that has seen a resurgence in the past five years, growing from a live event touring company into a full-fledged global entertainment brand. “Becoming the new owners of this legendary team is a natural step as HFE continues to develop wholesome, immersive entertainment that parents can trust,” reckons the company’s president and CEO, Joel Manby.
German leisure park Eifelpark Gondorf, located in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, has been purchased by Joachim Lowenthal. The Lowenthal family already operates Skyline Park in Bavaria, as well as owning the world’s largest travelling log flume, a popular fixture of the German fairground scene.
Spain’s Terra Mitica is to adopt resort status with the addition of three hotels. Located in the Costa Blanca resort of Benidorm, the theme park now shares the same owners as the nearby Aqualandia waterpark and Mundomar marine park. Benidorm already boasts hundreds of hotels, but Terra Mitica enjoys a unique location overlooking the rest of this resort popular with British and German holidaymakers. Up to 4,000 beds will be provided by the new hotels. Already adjacent the park is the Terra Natura animal park/waterpark.
Bolivia has accepted the amusement ride safety standards developed by ASTM International Committee F24 on Amusement Rides and Devices following a seminar held in late August in La Paz. Organised by Gabriela Nino de Guzman, chair of the La Paz City Council, IAAPA Latin America’s Paulina Reyes and Alvaro del Castillo of the Bolivian Institute of Standardization and Quality (IBNORCA), the seminar addressed the importance of having a comprehensive safety programmes for all facets of the business in country’s steadily growing amusement industry. ASTM worked closely with IBNORCA to facilitate review of the official Spanish translations of the ASTM F24 standards.
Audiovisual specialist Electrosonic has completed the integration of Global Immersion, the digital giant screen cinema and planetarium provider it acquired in 2012. A new website highlights the immersive theatre products now available:
ElectrosonicImmersion.com
Theming and Animatronic Industries (TAA) has partnered with Spanish TEA member and ex-Thinkwell Europe chief Victor Cavaller to launch the Garmisch Consulting Group (GCG). The new offshoot, based in Bavaria provides 3D models, bird's eye drawings, construction drawings, masterplans, budgeting, scheduling, marketing, events and intellectual property services and advice. Meet TAA/GCG at this month’s IAAPA Attractions Expo in Orlando.
NOVEMBER 2013
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