Disney signs deal to build theme park in Shanghai

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BEIJINGWalt Disney Co. signed an agreement with a Shanghai government company Friday to build a long-awaited theme park in the commercial capital of China, both parties said.

The signing moves the $3.6 billion Shanghai Disneyland closer to becoming a reality 15 years after the two sides first opened discussions on the project.

The deal was struck with Shanghai Shen Di Group Co. Ltd., a municipal company registered in August and inaugurated Friday that will serve as Disney’s joint venture partner.

“We can confirm the statement from the Shanghai government that we have taken another step forward in the approval process,” Disney
said in an e-mailed statement. “We are still awaiting final approval
from the central government on the incorporation of the related joint
venture companies and the completion of the necessary regulatory
processes.”

China’s central government approved plans for the resort a year ago, moving closer to giving Disney a foothold in the world’s fastest-growing economy and its potentially lucrative consumer market.

It was reported then that Disney would take a 43 percent equity stake in Shanghai Disneyland while the joint-venture company would own the remaining 57 percent.

The theme park, which is expected to cover 1 1/2 square miles and open by 2014, would be Disney’s fourth outside the United States.

The company has struggled with its Hong Kong
location, which opened in 2005 under criticism that it was too small.
It has since launched a major expansion plan to draw more visitors.

A source familiar with the negotiations between Disney and Shanghai said it could take several months for Beijing to approve smaller joint ventures that will handle the hotel portion and theme park portions of the resort.

“We’re not quite at the end of the road yet,” the source said.

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