ALL SYSTEMS GO FOR SPACEPORT

Cape Argus – May 12, 2005
By Staff Reporter

South African company SpacePortEdutainment has signed a joint-venture agreement with two Chinese companies to build a $250 million space theme park, dubbed a "spaceport", in China.

Chief executive Raoul Katovsky said the project, which will be done for the City of Shenyang's Shenyang Qipanshan Tourism Development Zone Group Company and Liaoning Rexing Enterprises Group Company Limited, was scheduled to open in time for the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.

The agreement provides for the formation of a joint-venture company which will first initiate a R2.5m feasibility study and, subject to a positive outcome, continue to source funding and thereafter develop the theme park.

SpacePortShenyang will be the first of several SpacePorts.

The next planned project is SpacePortAfrica, a $75m project that will form part of Africa Theme Park Resort, a $650m theme park resort development to be built near the Johannesburg International Airport, Katovsky said.

SpacePortAfrica was expected to open in October 2007, while the resort would be completed towards the end of 2008.

"The idea is to produce the concept and master plan the computer-animation and special effects in South Africa, and then to license this to sites around the world," explained Katovsky.

An adjoining not-for-profit SpacePort Institute would be a centre of excellence for learning about space, science and technology.

Katovsky said the economic implications for South Africa would be substantial, with more than 500 jobs being created in Cape Town's film industry, particularly in respect of computer animation.

"We have received great support from both the public and private sectors. Now that the Shenyang local government has committed itself to SpacePortShenyang, it's all systems go," he said.