Sea World/Busch coming to DUBAI!!!

[TDLFAN]

The Busch Co. made a whale of an announcement today.

They are building 4 (that's FOUR!) theme parks in Dubai: Sea World, Busch Gardens, Aquatica and Discovery Cove. All four Central Florida staples will be built in Dubai on a man made island which will be shaped like Shamu! The complex is supposed to be built by 2012. I can only imagine how big and pricey this project will be. Seems to me Dubai will blow the lid of FL's being the theme park capital of the World... So, when is Disney and Universal going into Dubai???

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/finan.../D8V3EOOG0.htm

[WDW1974]

I heard this news a few hours ago and couldn't believe it.

While it may be a good business deal for Busch with all that 'oil money' in Dubai ... that country will never see me set foot in it. It is run by vile 'businessmen' who fund 'evildoers'.

So I really don't care what happens there. I'd truly hope Disney would never go there, but it wouldn't surprise me some day.

[Nancywitt]

I thought for sure this was a joke. An island shaped like Shamu? Oh brother!

[Anatole69]

Yeah while the scale of the project is truly astounding, I really have to be a grinch about Dubai. Most of the construction work is done there by workers toiling in near slavery conditions, and many times they are not paid for their labor.

- Anatole

[TDLFAN]

You mean... like giant American corporations do?

[JtnOrl]

Good for Busch. You still couldn't pay me to go there.

[Anatole69]

Ha ha... that's about right TDLFAN.

Though even worse in Dubai.

- Anatole

[kirbilicious]

I'm surprised it took so long for someone to post this news. I love Busch, but isn't it a little strange that a company devoted to environmental preservation is getting involved with a project that is completely devastating ecosystems? I wonder what kind of theme this BG will have. Since SW, DC, Aquatica, and BG are already found in Florida, will they just reuse Tampa's Africa theme?

[JtnOrl]

Busch's supposed environmental interests are a crock. They just say that stuff to get people off their backs about keeping these animals in captivity. Speaking of which, marine animals... held in captivity... in what used to be part of the ocean...

Irony is the word of the day.

Personally, I think they're trying too hard here, and the whole whale island gimmick is going to come back to bite them. There will be no room whatsoever for expansion once the parks are built, and they're already the 'diet' versions of their FL counterparts (look at the acreage!) to begin with.

[ekester]

So, when is Disney and Universal going into Dubai???

Universal announced their plans a long time ago. They open in 2010.

[GhostHost2]

So, when is Disney and Universal going into Dubai???

Hopefully Disney will never come to Dubai. Dubai is likely to be one of the great economical disasters of all time, with all this money going into it, when it isn't even a proven commodity.

[kirbilicious]

Hopefully Disney will never come to Dubai. Dubai is likely to be one of the great economical disasters of all time, with all this money going into it, when it isn't even a proven commodity.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. Part of the reason I really wish Busch was getting mixed up in all of this.

[Disneyfan4]

Probably the theme of Busch Gardens might be North American. Because tampa's is Africa, and virginia's is Europe.


I will also not go to these parks in Dubai anytime soon becuase it is one of the worst parts of the world.

[stitchon]

Please let this be a disaster!

I so want the companies to be thinking about improving experiences here, not building parks elsewhere. Kudos to Disney for not attempting to be part of what will hopefully be a failure.

[ekester]

Dubai is likely to be one of the great economical disasters of all time, with all this money going into it, when it isn't even a proven commodity.

Dubai as a financial model is already proven. Certainly the "theme park" business isn't yet proven and I would seriously doubt if half the projects ever come to fruition.

But Dubai is already the financial hub of the region, with most major companies having established offices there. Only 5% of their revenues come from oil, contrary to popular belief. From a tourism perspective, it's the top destination for the UK, 2nd for Germany and growing for all others.

Once they build enough affordable hotel rooms and entertainment, they have a population mass of over a billion people who are closer than most people in the US are to Orlando. And another billion not much further away than that. Even if the disposable income isn't particularly high, the sheer volume creates a ton of potential for them.

Don't underestimate the potential. They don't need the US folks to travel there to be successful.

And the "safety" issues are not real. It's one of the safest places on the planet. It's akin to someone saying "I won't travel to Orlando because Detroit's not safe."