Dubailand Lead Parade Of New International Theme Parks

From the Los Angeles Times' report on the growth of theme parks abroad, particularly in the Middle East:

Twenty-five years after Walt Disney Co. began moving overseas, U.S. companies like Six Flags, Universal Studios and DreamWorks are marching rapidly to the Mideast and Far East seeking new revenue streams and an increasingly global audience.

Major U.S. companies have at least 13 parks in the works in South Korea, Singapore, Shanghai, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. In every case, developers are fronting millions of dollars to buy land and build parks, while the U.S. businesses reap licensing fees for attractions featuring the likes of Spider-Man and SpongeBob SquarePants without financial risk.

"The phenomenon overseas is the perfect storm, basically," said theme park consultant Gary Goddard. "A lot of factors are coming together at the right time."

The list of six confirmed overseas projects:

* Six Flags recently announced its first foreign project in Dubai.

* Busch Entertainment trumpeted its four-park Dubai project as "the most significant news" in company history.

* Universal Studios has parks planned in Dubai and Singapore. It hopes to complete a deal in South Korea by year's end.

* Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Animation are opening parks in South Korea and Dubai, respectively.

* MGM Studios is building entertainment centers in Shanghai and Abu Dhabi.

* Warner Bros. Entertainment is planning a theme park, hotel and movie theaters in Abu Dhabi.

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Comments

[totalliberal]

Dubailand. Of course It features the Kick the Krap out of women ride..... And those old ME favorite Head or No Head; or Hand me that Hand.

[ShawnMichel]

Let's all distract ourselves while the world burns--YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

[gcallaghan]

I want to go on the Missing Pallets of Cash ride

[JScott]

There are some theme parks there already I think there's one called 'Entertainment World' in Kuwait
I've heard there are mosques spread thru out the park so the devout/pious have convenient places to pray 5x day during their visit.

[LivingStardust]

F*** Dubai. Any place that would shelter Halliburton is a suck hole filled with scumbags.

[ErnestineBass]

They get DisneyWorld, and we get OliverTwistTrailerPark. YIPPEE!