NEWS: Universal Studios Japan looks at sites for 2nd park

[jedimaster1227]

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/economy/business/AJ201402200040

 

Universal Studios Japan, a hugely popular Hollywood movie theme park here, is now so crimped for space its operator is looking to develop new sites domestically or abroad.

 

USJ Co., based in Osaka’s Konohana Ward, said its decision stemmed from the fact the current site is surrounded by factories and other buildings that would make enlarging the park difficult.

 

The park has been dealing with brisk crowd levels. Additional facilities would ease congestion and help achieve further growth.

 

USJ has already chosen four or five candidate sites, which would be equal in size to the Osaka park, and is currently negotiating with local companies that could become business partners.

 

According to USJ sources, one of the candidate sites is in Japan.

 

“It will be an area other than the Kansai region (where Universal Studios Japan is located) or the Kanto region where Tokyo Disney Resort is located,” one of the sources said.

 

This suggests the area will be in the Tohoku region or the Kyushu region, including Okinawa Prefecture.

 

As for overseas candidate sites, the source said, “They will be in urban areas (of Asia) that have large populations and rising income levels.”

 

Taipei in Taiwan, Jakarta in Indonesia, and Mumbai in India are reportedly among the possible spots.

 

At present, there are three other Universal Studios in the world besides Osaka. They are located in Orlando and Hollywood, both in the United States, and Singapore.

 

By the end of this fiscal year, the number of visitors to Universal Studios Japan is expected to reach 10.5 million.

 

It will be the first time for visitor numbers to exceed 10 million since fiscal 2001, the park’s first year of operation.

Edited February 20, 2014 by jedimaster1227

[gisco]

Kind of interesting that it is the Japanese looking to expand outside of Japan.

[SharkTums]

I feel like Taipei could really support a big, real park like this and would love to see it built there.

[_koppen]

The park looks really good, so another one would only be a good thing.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

This reads weird... "We are so busy we need another park, but we aren't going to build it in the same area, or anywhere that close" How does this help ease congestion on that one park if its not in the same area? LOL. I am; however, happy the park is booming and they want to expand.

[SharkTums]

^I'm assuming this is a lost in translation sort of article. Like basically the park is doing really well (using the word congested instead of using the word successful or busy) so they want to build another park somewhere else to make more money.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

That's what I was thinking haha.

[gerstlaueringvar]

Japan doesn't seem to have a good relaxation ship with it's surrounding countries nowadays. Even Taiwan, which usually gets closer to Japan than PRC, start to get away from Japan...

[_koppen]

This reads weird... "We are so busy we need another park, but we aren't going to build it in the same area, or anywhere that close" How does this help ease congestion on that one park if its not in the same area? LOL. I am; however, happy the park is booming and they want to expand.

 

It could be that people are driving/traveling to the park, and another park would give them are closer alternative, and thus taking some of the pressure away from the original park. (But it's only a guess).

[Massdynamic]

I don't get how this proposal is legit. Okinawa appears so isolated on a map. I think the Philippines would be a cool place for a park. Otherwise it geographically seems like this park would do just as well on the Kuril Islands?

[Massdynamic]

I guess Fukuoka would make a nice place for a park.