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The
Business Times, 17 Jul 04
S'pore needs to find place in the scheme
of themes
By Joyce Koh
I AM a big fan of theme parks - but only if it's the real McCoy. Having
seen so many theme parks in Singapore come and go, plans for the next
big one have not really sent my adrenalin pumping. Leaving scepticism
aside, I hope things might be different this time round, not least
because of the scale of the project, which is likely to involve much
world-class expertise, and of course money.
This week, Ripley's Entertainment said it may invest US$350 million
in a tourist attraction, while Australian-based Village Roadshow added
it may invest up to A$40 million (S$49 million) in a water-based theme
park.
Coming right on the heels of the much talked-about casino developments,
it seems outdoor fun-loving types like myself will be in for a roaring
good time what with casinos, roller-coasters and water rides right
at our doorstep.
Hopefully, there will be no deja vu of the Tang Dynasty Village theme
park in Jurong, which was nothing more than a walk through dusty shophouses
in the scorching heat.
Hopefully too, this new wave of mega parks would be classier than
Volcano Land's feeble attempts to take visitors on a headlong plunge
into the 'earth's centre'. Was it supposed to offer an educational
experience or a scary adventure? I don't think it succeeded on either
score.
Not surprisingly, both Tang Dynasty Village and Volcano Land on Sentosa
are now history. And so is the Asian Village, which at best piqued
the curiosity of the geography or history student desperate for replicas
of what they study in textbooks.
More encouraging was Fantasy Island, also on Sentosa, which was a
hit with friends out seeking exciting and thrilling water rides. Unfortunately,
that too did not survive - shut down after one drowning and other
accidents.
With all these failures in mind, the next major theme park investment
had better have spectacular activities - in short, world-class offerings
- without sacrificing safety. The kind that would replicate the jostling
queues at the turnstiles that I witnessed at Six Flags Great America
in Wisconsin, where there were rides that simulated Superman flights
and roller-coasters that plunged 20 storeys down.
Are such rides too scary for Singaporeans? Industry players have commented
that Asians like rides that instill 'fear and not terror', while Westerners
prefer 'super-fast, scare-me-to-death' rides. Personally, I'm not
persuaded.
Then there is DisneyLand and Universal Studio which suck in the crowds
on the pure strength of their branding, their unique concepts and
perhaps more importantly, their adherence to high standards of quality
and entertainment.
There are no sure-fire ingredients for success but there are many
models around the world and especially in the region the developers
can borrow from.
One thing's for sure - the park's attractions will have to appeal
to both locals and tourists - visitors from the region who will flock
here to help make the investment meaningful.
So let the imagination of people investing in the theme parks go into
overdrive and build something that will keep the crowds coming back
again, and again. After all, who doesn't want to escape into fantasy
now and then, especially if the journey is sheer fun. |
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