GGRAsia – Lionsgate theme park in Jeju to open in 2019: Landing Intl

Lionsgate theme park in Jeju to open in 2019: Landing Intl

Aug 17, 2017 Newsdesk Latest News, Rest of Asia, Top of the deck

Hong Kong-listed investment firm Landing International Development Ltd said on Wednesday that it has an agreement with Lions Gate Entertainment Inc – a unit of a major Hollywood media group that trades as Lionsgate – to develop a theme park at Landing International’s new casino resort complex in Jeju, South Korea.

Lionsgate Movie World, spanning approximately 122,000 square metres (1.3 million sq feet), is Lionsgate’s first branded outdoor theme park and will be based around the content of the group’s many films, said Landing International in a filing.

Landing International is a mainland China real estate developer that is pursuing a foreigner-only casino resort project on Jeju Island, called Jeju Shinhwa World (pictured in a rendering). The complex had its initial-phase “grand opening” in April, with the launch of a 344-unit serviced resort condominium called Somerset Jeju Shinhwa World.

Construction of Lionsgate Movie World is likely to start in 2018 and is scheduled to open in 2019, said Landing International. The theme park would feature seven movie zones, “including but not limited” to “The Hunger Games”, “The Twilight Saga” and “Now You See Me”, according to Wednesday’s filing.

“Visitors can experience actual movie scenes through state-of-the-art rides, attractions and 4D intellectual property-reproduced streets and towns,” said Landing International. “Each zone will also feature themed restaurants, cafes, souvenir shops and entertainment performances,” the firm added.

Yang Zhihui, chairman of Landing International, said in a statement included in a separate press release: “It is our great honour to have Lionsgate as our partner. We are very excited to have the first Lionsgate Movie World at Jeju Shinhwa World bringing Hollywood movies and their immersive environments to our theme park to deliver a premium guest experience.”

Also commenting on the deal, Lionsgate chief executive Jon Feltheimer said: “We’re pleased to partner with our friends at Landing International, one of Asia’s premier developers, on our first branded outdoor theme park and one of our largest and most exciting location-based entertainment destinations.”

During the term of the agreement, Lionsgate Movie World will be the only theme park branded with the “Lionsgate” trademark in South Korea, said the Hong Kong-listed company.

Landing International announced earlier this month plans to launch a Four Seasons-branded property at Jeju Shinhwa World. The Four Seasons hotel is scheduled to open in 2019.