PURSUING GLOBAL THEME; LANDMARK PLANS PARK IN SOUTH AFRICA.Byline: Dave McNary Daily News Staff Writer North Hollywood-based Landmark Entertainment Group, continuing to export its theme-park expertise, is on the verge On the Verge (or The Geography of Yearning) is a play written by Eric Overmyer. It makes extensive use of esoteric language and pop culture references from the late nineteenth century to 1955. of becoming a significant player in the expansion of theme parks and resorts in South Africa South Africa, Afrikaans Suid-Afrika, officially Republic of South Africa, republic (2005 est. pop. 44,344,000), 471,442 sq mi (1,221,037 sq km), S Africa. . The company is involved in planning four different hotel-casinos and a theme park, all in the Johannesberg and Cape Town Cape Town or Capetown, city (1991 pop. 854,616), legislative capital of South Africa and capital of Western Cape, a port on the Atlantic Ocean. It was the capital of Cape Province before that province's subdivision in 1994. areas, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Chief Executive Officer Gary Goddard. The quintet of projects are awaiting government approval, which should come within three to six months, he said Tuesday. ``There is a real mini-boom in leisure development in South Africa,'' Goddard said. The projects are being developed in partnership with South African conglomerate Southern Sun. Landmark's success in South Africa is not a surprise amid worldwide gains in the theme-park and resorts businesses. ``Africa and South America South America, fourth largest continent (1991 est. pop. 299,150,000), c.6,880,000 sq mi (17,819,000 sq km), the southern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. are the hot areas right now,'' said Tim O'Brien Tim O'Brien can refer to:
Earlier this week, Landmark's first foray into Verb 1. foray into - enter someone else's territory and take spoils; "The pirates raided the coastal villages regularly" raid encroach upon, intrude on, obtrude upon, invade - to intrude upon, infringe, encroach on, violate; "This new colleague invades my South Africa - the Table Bay at the Waterfront hotel project - opened for business. Landmark designed the upscale 329-room facility for Sun-West and Sun International at a cost of approximately $60 million, The site reflects Victorian and Edwardian architecture with every room having a view of Table Mountain or the sea to Robben Island. ``The design team's goal was to weave a five-star hotel into the themed architecture of the Waterfront, which represents a working harbor and dock,'' said Thanu Boonyawatana, one of Landmark's designers. Landmark, founded in 1980 by Goddard and current President Tony Christopher, has been attempting to expand its niche beyond theme-park design. The firm worked on the Universal Studios Hollywood attraction based on the film ``Jurassic Park'' and on Terminator 2D/3D at Universal Studios Florida. The developments in South Africa come eight months after Landmark received a $50 million investment from Saudi Prince Alaweed Bin Talal Abdulaziz Al Saud. Earlier this year, it announced commitments to design theme parks in China, South Korea and the Philippines. Goddard estimated that between 70 percent and 80 percent of Landmark's work is on overseas projects. Its current domestic work is concentrated in Las Vegas. It includes designing the Star Trek: The Experience attraction at the Las Vegas Hilton The Las Vegas Hilton is a hotel, casino, and convention center in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is a joint venture between Colony Capital, which owns 60 percent, and New York City-based REIT Whitehall Street Real Estate Funds, which owns the remaining 40 percent. , along with work at the Excalibur casino. Landmark is not affiliated with the prince's Kingdom Entertainment partnership, formed last year to develop theme parks with pop star Michael Jackson, who announced plans last week for a ``family entertainment'' attraction in Warsaw, Poland. Goddard said it is ``probable'' Landmark will be involved. The letter of intent signed by Jackson and Warsaw Mayor Marcin Swiecicki commits the sides to develop the project over the next 12 months and then decide whether to go ahead with the project. Landmark, which has about 100 employees, also agreed late last year to design ``cybercafes'' for troubled Apple Computer Inc. The prince, whose holdings include stakes in TWA TWA Time-weighted average, see there , Saks Fifth Avenue Saks Fifth Avenue is a chain of upscale American department stores that is owned and operated by Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises (SFAE), a subsidiary of Saks Incorporated. It competes in the elite luxury department store market with Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys New and the Fairmont and Four Seasons-Regent hotel chains, bought about 5 percent of Apple earlier this year. CAPTION(S): Photo, Chart Photo: (Color) Landmark Entertainment Group's first South African resort, Table Bay, opened this week. Chart: (Color) LANDMARK ENTERTAINMENT PROJECTS |
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