NEWS: Mumbai to gain country's largest coaster in new park

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-11-27/news/35385915_1_theme-park-manmohan-shetty-water-park

Manmohan Shetty's Adlabs Entertainment is building Rs 1,600-crore theme park on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the entertainment entrepreneur has secured two-thirds of the total project cost in debt from a consortium of 14 banks led by Union Bank.

 

"It took nearly 18 months to get the 14 banks to see and believe in my vision, as they did not have any previous benchmark to go by," said Shetty who will cough up the rest of the project cost as equity.

 

Called Adlabs Imagica, the project coming up on a 300-acre plot will redefine the theme park experience in the country, he said. It will be rolled out in three phases, with the first phase scheduled to open to the public by March next year.

 

Spread over 110 acres, the first phase will have about 21 international standard rides including the country's largest roller coaster and 4D stimulation rides.

 

Phases two and three will include a water park and a three-star hotel, Shetty said. The travel time from both Mumbai and Pune will be around one hour.

 

"We have chosen Mumbai as the location, since it is the financial capital of India and has the most attractive catchment to support the entire eco-system of a project of this magnitude and scale," Shetty said.

 

While entry prices are not yet fixed, it is expected to be around Rs 1,400-1,500 per person.

 

Ticket prices would form 75 per cent of the revenue, with the rest coming from food and beverages as well as merchandise sale.

 

Shetty said he is also open to dilute the equity in an appropriate time with the right partners and valuation. He said the theme park can accommodate 20,000 visitors at any given time and that the water park will be added in the first year itself.

 

"We are looking at targeting above 3 million visitors in the first year of operations," he said.

 

A maverick entertainer, Shetty founded Adlabs Films Ltd as an advertising films processing company in 1976. Soon, the firm ventured into feature film processing by setting up a state-of- the- art laboratory in Film City, Mumbai and processed 80 per cent of all films made.

 

After going public at the turn of the century and expanding into the film exhibition business, Shetty sold his stake to Anil Dhirubai Ambani Group, and two years later set up his own Walkwater Media and began producing films.

Probably wouldn't take much to have the largest coaster in Mumbai!

TPR trip to ride the new coaster?

^We loved India, I would totally go back for this!

I've been following this for a little while. Theres some job adverts like the one below for ticket offices staff and managers on some Indian sites at the moment.

http://jobsearch.naukri.com/job-listings-Manager-Ticketing-theme-Park-Khopoli-Navi-Mumbai--Blue-Apple-Corporation-Mumbai-Navi-Mumbai-4-to-6-040912003782

Most interestingly we already know the park will have a Premier coaster (rumoured to be the "Deep Space ride they teased at IAAPA). Premier posted this to their FB recently

Premier Rides first track shipment to India heading out!! American craftsmanship on its way to India's first major theme park being built by Adlabs outside Mumbai!!

Source: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1279769&l=6596e6a8e3&id=255064557869403

Thanks for the link/article, Adam and besides, for your encouraged/dedicated researches all over for TPR!

^^Ahh interesting! I was wondering where that Deep Space thing was going. Cool! Thanks for the find!

Interestingly I've read rumours that suggest this is where that new B&M floorless track at their plant in Ohio is going too.

Do B&M make all their Asian rides in Ohio? I remember some being made in the US (Hair Raiser and Flying over the Rainforest) while i don't remember Phython and the Happy Valley rides being made in Ohio? I could be wrong though

Interestingly I've read rumours that suggest this is where that new B&M floorless track at their plant in Ohio is going too.

 

Do B&M make all their Asian rides in Ohio? I remember some being made in the US (Hair Raiser and Flying over the Rainforest) while i don't remember Phython and the Happy Valley rides being made in Ohio? I could be wrong though

I'm Confirmed this rumor From Ocean Kingdom's Staff ,He says there will be a B&M in India when he is talking to B&M Engineer who working on Flying Over the Rainforest

^We loved India, I would totally go back for this!

Have you ever been to the area that this Adlabs park is being built? What were your overall impressions of the area if so?

^We were in Mumbai, so yes as I believe this park is also going in the Mumbai area.

Mumbai was a fascinating mix of old world European Style, Tropical, Modern High Rises, and Slums.

Looks like the park will be getting a Mine train from Zamperla along the same lines as the one at Ocean Park (probably without that view though )

Source: http://rcdb.com/11298.htm

http://www.livemint.com/Companies/jChiU6swKXmj91wf8weByI/For-Adlabs-a-lot-rides-on-new-theme-park.html

Imagine encountering Mogambo, a villain played by the late Amrish Puri in Shekhar Kapur’s 1987 superhero Hindi film Mr India, on a six-minute ride in a simulator that resembles the car of the film’s hero Anil Kapoor. You could also picture yourself on a water ride through a prehistoric jungle where you will run into extinct animals like dinosaurs and end the journey shrieking as your cart takes a sharp 70-foot drop before it hits the ground.

 

Manmohan Shetty, chairman of Adlabs Entertainment, hopes to offer some of these moments, which one experiences in theme parks such as Disneyland and Universal Studios, on a 300-acre plot near Khopoli, off the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.

 

Christened Adlabs Imagica, Shetty said the theme park, scheduled to open in March, will cost around Rs.1,600 crore for which he has raised 66% debt from a consortium of 14 banks, led by Union Bank of India. “We head the consortium of banks that has lent money,” confirmed a Union Bank official, adding that the project has been scaled down from its original size.

 

“We do have financial constraints... Some of the international theme parks are supported by state governments. Besides, consumer spends in India are lower, and people are reluctant to spend too much on entertainment, hence we plan to price the tickets around Rs.1,400-1,500 for the entire day,” said Shetty.

 

The first phase of development, on 100 acres of land, costs around Rs.1,100 crore. “In 2013, we will also have the water park and a 300-room hotel ready,” said Shetty. The remaining 200 acres of land “will be used for expansion of the theme park or associated high-end real estate development around it”.

 

“Adlabs Imagica is created to accommodate 20,000 visitors at any given time. We are targeting above 3 million visitors in the first year of operations,” said Shetty.

 

The park will have 21 attractions, including India’s largest roller coaster, 4D stimulation rides and a water park, and some of the themes will be ‘Indianised’. For instance, there’s a disaster ride with three Gods—Vayu (wind), Jal (water) and Agni (fire) and visitors will get a chance to shoot thieves in the ‘Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves’ game to collect bonus points.

 

The primary revenue streams will include ticketing, food and beverage, and merchandising. “We are expecting 75% of the revenue by ticket sales. The multiple secondary revenues will include retail rentals, sponsorships and advertising,” said Shetty.

 

“Adlabs has also invested heavily in technology to enhance the visitor’s experience,” he said. For instance, the company has partnered with US-based Gateway Ticketing Systems to ensure a smooth experience while purchasing the tickets. Entry will be through turnstiles that will validate wrist bands issued to visitors who may also opt for debit cards issued by the park.

 

The information technology or IT Infrastructure build at the theme park will allow for convergence of all services such as data, voice, show controls, animatronics (use of mechatronics, a multi-disciplinary field of engineering, to create machines which seem alive rather than robotic) and video over a fibre optic network.

 

India has seen entertainment parks in the past, albeit on a smaller scale. For instance, Pan India Paryatan Pvt. Ltd. is the holding company of EsselWorld and Water Kingdom near Gorai in northwest Mumbai. According to the company’s website, these twin entertainment properties are spread over 64 acres of land and include 79 rides and slides, and attract up to 1.8 million visitors each year.

 

EsselWorld executives were unavailable for comment.

 

On 30 July 2010, a Reuters report said India’s Reliance ADA Group is in talks with Universal Studios to build a $1.5 billion, 400 acre theme park and resort in the country. It had quoted a Wall Street Journal report, citing a person familiar with the matter. No further development has been announced on the matter since. A spokesperson for Reliance ADA Group, now known as Reliance Group, declined to comment on the matter.

 

“It’s a capital-intensive business. Hence, the investment, volumes, innovation, location (whether a Tier-I city or metro) and target audience typically dictate the success of a theme park,” said Ashesh Jani, partner, Deloitte Haskin and Sells, without commenting about any specific park.

 

“Theme parks have to continuously innovate to keep visitors interested. In India, consumers are very choosy about how they want to spend the day. Names like Disneyland or Universal Studios will be familiar to those who have travelled abroad. Other theme parks will have to spend money on building a brand for themselves,” he added.

 

While Shetty hopes to recover his investment in seven years after commencing operations, Jani said a mid-sized park (something like EsselWorld or Adlabs Imagica) would take around 10 years to recover its investment.

 

Globally, theme parks have been successful.

 

The Walt Disney Company rules the business with its gigantic theme parks. The Walt Disney World Resort, for instance, is located 22 miles southwest of Orlando, Florida, on approximately 25,000 acres of land. The resort includes theme parks—the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom besides hotels, vacation club properties, a retail, dining and entertainment complex, sports complex; conference centres and the like.

 

The company also owns a 47% interest in Hong Kong Disneyland Resort through Hong Kong International Theme Parks Ltd, an entity in which the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region owns a 53% majority interest. Located on 311 acres on Lantau Island, the resort is in close proximity to the Hong Kong International Airport. Hong Kong Disneyland Resort includes one theme park and two themed hotels.

 

On 8 April, 2011, the Walt Disney Company and Shanghai Shendi (Group) Co. Ltd (Shendi) announced that the Chinese central government in Beijing had approved an agreement to build and operate a Disney resort (Shanghai Disney Resort) on roughly 1,000 acres of land with additional room to expand in the future. Shanghai Disney Resort is currently targeted to open in approximately five years.

 

Construction has commenced and the company expects the total investment to be approximately 24.5 billion yuan to build the theme park and an additional 4.5 billion yuan to build other aspects of the resort, including hotels, besides retail, dining and entertainment facilities.

 

The Tokyo Disney Resort is located on approximately 494 acres of land, six miles east of downtown Tokyo, Japan. The resort includes two theme parks (Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea); three Disney-branded hotels; six independently operated hotels; and a retail, dining and entertainment complex.

Adlabs founder Manmohan Shetty was recently interviewed about the park and if you look closely in the background what looks like a B&M coaster layout can be seen on the wall behind his head. This isn't confirmation by any means but it certainly adds weight to the rumours that the mysterious floorless track at the B&M plant is heading there.

Source: http://www.livemint.com/Search/Link/Keyword/Manmohan%20Shetty

Looks like the park is almost complete. This video shows mainly a freaking HUGE frisbee and what looks to be the Zamperla mine train and previously unannounced Junior coaster.

Source: http://vhcoasters.com/2013/03/14/adlabs-imagica-shows-off-giant-frisbee/

Triple post but they are all different days

Here's some more info about the 3 known coasters I dug up today.

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Explore the Wild Wild West on a family roller coaster!

This exciting coaster will take you through the world of old American West. From the ravines and the ranch grounds of the cowboys to the parlours and the saloons of the pistol wielding outlaws and sheriffs.

This ripping ride will drop you from the height of 66 feet and send you speeding through tunnels and abandoned gold mines at a thrilling speed of 65 km/h.

Apparently, this journey is not going to be an easy one. After all, surviving the Wild Wild West was always a rollercoaster ride!

Speed through the Sherwood Forest in this junior roller coaster!

Hey kids! All aboard this junior roller coaster! It will take you through the world of Robin Hood and his Merry Men.

So, get into your bandit mode and gear up for a fun ride!

To the moon and back in India’s first dark roller coaster ride!

Hop on to this high adrenaline rollercoaster that takes you into outer space. You will get launched into deep space among galaxies and black holes zipping through various planets and meteors.

This coaster is uniquely constructed inside a massive dome, which itself is a sight from miles away.

The Deep Space coaster works on the Linear Synchronous Motor (LSM) magnetic launch. Unlike a normal roller coaster, which makes a slow first climb, this dark coaster will shoot you to crazy speeds in a matter of mere seconds.

So, gear up for this truly out- of- this- world experience!

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Interestingly there is no mention of the parks B&M Floorless but a park map does show a fourth coaster called Nitro in the Americana section. Perhaps it won’t open with the park or maybe it will be unveiled at a later date. Only Time will tell.

Source: http://www.vhcoasters.com

^No worries about the triple post! Totally fine when you have some hard to find information to share with the group.

Spread over 110 acres, the first phase will have about 21 international standard rides including the country's largest roller coaster and 4D stimulation rides.

4D stimulation rides?

Sounds kinky!

I want that Giant Discovery in my life.

Pretty cool stuff being announced. It's always cool to see parks coming together in places like Mumbai.

Once it hits RCDB, it is pretty much confirmed! So yay, to the B&M Floorless with 5 inversions! It is to be called Nitro!

http://rcdb.com/6817.htm

That B&M floorless came out of the blue. It's good to see that, after all, B&M are building more than 2 coasters for 2013 and I hope that the floorless design remains popular as lately they have been busier with their wingriders.

In RCDB it says that it will open this month. That I didn't expect. And, apparently, the indoor coaster will be a premier rides.

Once it hits RCDB, it is pretty much confirmed! So yay, to the B&M Floorless with 5 inversions! It is to be called Nitro!

http://rcdb.com/6817.htm

Those stats so far just scream Batman the Dark knight at SFNE to me.

I want that Giant Discovery in my life.

I agree that Giant Discovery gave me life... I would love to ride one of those...

Very cool to see all this updated news on this park. I can't wait to hear more about Deep Space and the gods-powered "disaster ride!"

We were told yesterday on our tour of the Sally Headquarters that they have TWO different dark rides going into this park!

That's awesome!

Mumbai is definitely on my bucket list.