CHINA> Taiwan, HK, Macao
![]() |
Disney puts Hong Kong expansion on hold
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-03-17 13:48 LOS ANGELES/HONG KONG - Walt Disney Co. has put the long-delayed expansion of its Hong Kong theme park on hold after failing to agree with the city's government on a cash infusion, the company said on Tuesday.
Disney and the Hong Kong government have been embroiled in protracted discussions over financing a second phase of the world's smallest Disneyland and the first on Chinese soil. But Hong Kong Disneyland's visitor number projections failed to reach initial bullish predictions with the key Chinese tourist market now bogged down by a worldwide credit crunch and a decelerating economy that is discouraging travel. Disney said it would fire about 30 Hong Kong-based employees dubbed "Imagineers" that had helped conceptualize and plan the expansion. Some jobs might also go at Disney's home-turf of Burbank, California, as a result of the work stoppage, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Disney had already been funding creative efforts -- designing and envisioning the look of rides -- but decided to pull financing when it became clear that a deal with the government on expanding Disneyland was not imminent. "The uncertainty of the outcome requires us to immediately suspend all creative and design work on the project," the US firm said in a statement. The source however did not rule out a resumption of that effort should Disney eventually strike a deal with the city. Disney has also signed a framework agreement with the local government in Shanghai to kick off a project, and said in January it intended to submit a proper plan for the park. The Hong Kong government expressed "grave concern" about the decision and urged Disney to reconsider. "We consider that (Disney's) laying off of Walt Disney Imagineers who have been working on the design of Hong Kong Disneyland's expansion will not be conducive to the discussions and are puzzled by the company's decision," a spokesperson for the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said in a statement. Opened in 2005, Hong Kong Disneyland has been criticized for being far too small to attract repeat visitors despite its proximity to Chinese mainland. "Despite this setback, The Walt Disney Company remains confident and committed to the long-term success of Hong Kong Disneyland," Disney said. An expansion could cost as much as HK$3 billion ($387 million), local media have reported. In December, the Sing Tao Daily newspaper reported that Disney -- in what was deemed an unusual concession -- may give the government a greater share in the project in repayment of a cash loan of nearly $800 million that the city had extended previously to the theme park. Hong Kong residents and lawmakers, for their part, have queried the financial viability of pumping more public money into the struggling park, on top of the hundreds of millions of dollars already loaned to the project. Disney has borrowed more than $1 billion for the project, including HK$6.1 billion it owed the city's government, due to be repaid over 25 years. In 2008, the theme park was forced to amend loan agreements after it failed to meet performance targets. That amended pact abolished targets but decreased the amount of a revolving credit facility. |
主站蜘蛛池模板: 日韩一级黄色毛片 | 神马最新午夜限制片 | 欧美在线视频免费观看 | 在线观看日韩www视频免费 | 77yyxf影音先锋| 特级毛片8级毛片免费观看 特级毛片免费观看视频 | 日日干日日操日日射 | 黄色三级毛片网站 | 日韩精品免费一区二区三区 | 自拍理论片 | 九草在线 | 盈盈性影院 | 毛片在线播放网站 | 成年视频国产免费观看 | 国产区亚洲区 | 一级毛片一级毛片a毛片欧美 | 亚洲视频中文字幕在线观看 | 免费播放特黄特色毛片 | 中文字幕亚洲在线 | 久草视频在线网 | 真人毛片免费全部播放完整 | 性做久久久久久免费观看 | 亚洲精品亚洲人成在线麻豆 | 无限资源中文免费 | 久久精品国产亚洲精品2020 | www看片| 色欧美在线| 国产精选莉莉私人影院 | 欧美一区二区三区久久综合 | 日本在线观看免费看片 | 岛国搬运工最新网地址 | 免费人成在线观看网站品爱网 | www.欧美成 | 免费一级欧美毛片 | 久久久久女人精品毛片 | 精品在线播放视频 | 另类专区欧美 | 在线亚洲精品自拍 | 亚洲网站一区 | 国产一级毛片午夜 | 手机在线观看精品国产片 |