There appear to be two differing versions of this news. The other version mentions that Joe is lending his name to this project for promotional purposes. I'm sure Joe would be happy to see this written about as an 'investment agreement' (investing in a 2 billion usd project has a certain ring about it) but 'investing' his name is still some kind of investment...any cash investment may not be large..? One of the artist's impressions of part of the development looks very familiar..... And does the high rise hotel impression look like the Four Seasons / Mandalay Bay in Vegas..wasn't this where Michael often stayed?
On a separate note, I see there has been some controversy about a large waste treatment site planned nearby, so I hope that has all been sorted out before theme park development begins.
Michael Jackson’s Father Helps Promote ‘Happyland’
Michael Jackson’s father Joe has recently helped promote the new hotel and theme park complex that is soon to be built in Vietnam. The late pop sensation’s father Joe was present when it was announced that ‘Happyland’ would be constructed in Vietnam at a cost of $2 billion. Joe Jackson is the father of Michael Jackson who had smash pop hits around the world and led to him becoming one of the most successful male artists of all time. Joe was there at the official press launch when ground was broken to signal the start of this prestigious construction project. It is thought that Joe Jackson
may be investing in part of the luxury hotel that is also part of the scheme. Tourism officials in Vietnam are likening the new Happyland to the Disneyland theme parks. The Khang Thong Group who is the main investor in the project also confirmed that there will be several entertainment destinations that would include restaurants, cinemas, a large water park and also its own film studio.
It is hoped that Jackson’s involvement will help create interest with the entertainment media in the western world. Happyland is already being promoted throughout south east Asia as the largest tourism scheme in that part of the world with a launch date of 2014. When the park is fully operational it is hoped that it will attract nearly fourteen million tourists a year. Of that figure it is estimated that three million of them will be foreign tourists.
http://www.dztimes.net/post/business/theme-park-builder-concerned-about-nearby-waste-complex.aspx
Theme Park developer concerned about nearby waste complex http://www.dztimes.net/tag/Happyland+Vietnam.aspx
HCMC – The developer of the Disneyland-style Happyland Vietnam project in the southern province of Long An on Wednesday expressed grave concern over a nearby, huge waste treatment project still under preparation
The US$2 billion Happyland Vietnam tourism and recreational project is to be developed by a subsidiary of the HCMC-based Khang Thong Group. This theme park, expected to cover 300 hectares along the Vam Co Dong River in Ben Luc District, suddenly finds itself located in close proximity with what will become a dumpsite nearly six times larger.
Diep told the Daily on Wednesday that “the company is very concerned about negative impacts on his Happyland project because of bad odor from the Thu Thua Waste Treatment Complex” some 3km away. The waste treatment site – which is still in the process of making the feasibility study – is to be developed by Vietnam Waste Solutions Company Limited (VWS), also the developer of Da Phuoc Waste Treatment Complex in HCMC that has already caused huge grievances to local residents.
“Environmental pollution could be occurring like what has been happening at Da Phuoc Waste Treatment Complex. If air is to be polluted, millions of visitors at the tourism area would suffer,” Diep said. The future operation of the huge dumpsite will also damage the view of the park, he said. Diep explained Happyland Vietnam was designed with a riverfront section stretching some 3.7 kilometers along the Vam Co Dong River, so it will be very inconvenient for visitors to see waste being transported from HCMC to the waste facility on barges passing by the river everyday. Pham Thi Thuy Nga, communications manager of VWS, told the Daily on Wednesday that the company was expected to spend some US$700 million on this huge waste treatment facility over a period of 20 years.
There is more detail about local concerns here:
http://vacne.org.vn/en/default.aspx?newsid=940
PS I have also seen the value of the Happyland project vary from 600,000usd to 6 billion usd!
http://www.lvrj.com/business/tenants-show-interest-in--6_5-billion-vietnamese-project-94905234.html
For a first-time exhibitor tucked away in the outer aisle of Las Vegas Convention Center's Central Hall, Madame Thao's Happyland theme park model was drawing a small crowd of curious onlookers Tuesday at ReCon 2010.
Las Vegas architect Paul Steelman, designer of the
$6.2 billion tourism development planned near Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, had persuaded his client to show the 12-foot, $60,000 model at the annual convention presented by the International Council of Shopping Centers.
Steelman said ReCon 2010 generates the kind of interest needed to fill 350,000 square feet of retail space at Happyland, which is being developed by Phan Thi Phuong Thao, also known as Madame Thao. "She's had tremendous response. We've had over 100 interested tenants," Steelman said, naming off Bed Bath & Beyond, Cheesecake Factory and fast-food restaurant operator Yum Brands.
Madame Thao and her Khang Thong Co. have committed to attending ReCon again next year, and an earlier sign-up should result in a larger and better exhibit location, the architect said. He sees the company coming to the show for four years.
Steelman, who has three offices in Southeast Asia, said it's good to get a job from 8,000 miles away that keeps a lot of his people employed here. All of the character animation for Happyland will be created at Steelman Partners' Las Vegas studio, which employs about 25 artists.
The entertainment complex, 16 miles from Ho Chi Minh City, will feature a theme park designed by Steelman Partners; leisure and convention hotels; cultural arts village; modern art museums; shopping mall; water park; and boardwalk that runs along the Vam Co Dong River. Happyland is similar in concept to Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., and Disney World in Orlando, Fla., with animated characters and amusement rides in themed sections of the park such as Bugsville, Pin and Ping's Imagination Island and Ancient Cities.
http://[URL=http://img163.imageshack.us/i/happylandhotel.jpg/]
[/URL]
http://[URL=http://img814.imageshack.us/i/happylandfrontage.jpg/]
[/URL]
http://[URL=http://img153.imageshack.us/i/neverlandstation.jpg/]
[/URL]
http://[URL=http://img651.imageshack.us/i/fourseasonslasvegas.png/]
[/URL]
