AusLeisure

USA-based electric car manufacturers Tesla has signed a memorandum of cooperation with Chinese theme park operator Haichang Holdings to build charging stations at its attactions.

Haichang operates marine theme parks in the cities of Dalian, Qingdao, Tianjin, Yantai, Wuhan and Chengdu and is currently in the process of acquiring Dalian Discoveryland and Chongqing Caribbean Water Park.

The link with Tesla will see the company introduce Tesla electric vehicles and supercharger stations in and around each of its theme parks.

In a statement introducing the link, Haichang explained that its board “believes that the cooperation accords with the group’s mission to insist on environmental protection” and will facilitate brand-building and marketing. 

The company has also become the first Asian theme park operator to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, recently raising about US$316 million in an initial public offering.

According to a company prospectus, Haichang will use 50% of the proceeds towards developing the Haichang Polar Ocean World in Shanghai, while another 40% will be used to help build the Sanya Haitang Bay Dream World. The remaining 10% will be employed as working capital and for other general corporate purposes.

Should the development of these two new theme parks not proceed as planned – due to a failure to obtain land-use permits, changes in government policy or a force majeure – the company’s directors may use the capital to expand existing theme parks or develop other parks.

As of December 2013, Haichang had over 500 marine and polar animals across 30 species, and more than 40,000 types of fish, coral and jellyfish. It has 500 large-size sharks – including whale sharks, sand tiger sharks and hammerhead sharks – more than 170 penguins, 90 seals, 120 sea lions, 60 dolphins, 30 beluga whales, eight false killer whales, 21 walruses and 13 polar bears.

The company is the largest marine park operator in China, with 7.2 million visitors in 2012, more than twice the number of visitors hosted by its closest competitor.

28th August 2014 - OCEAN PARK HONG KONG JOINS WITH CHINESE OPERATOR TO BOOST VISITATION

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