U.S. theme parks operator Six Flags Entertainment has begun construction of a $4.6 billion venture in China.
The development is in Haiyan, south of Shanghai, and is being made in partnership with China’s Riverside Investment Group, a leisure and tourism developer. The theme park is expected to open in 2019.
Six Flags has previously announced plans for multiple parks in China. The one in Haiyan will be its first Six Flag-branded site.
"Six Flags will be the center piece of the entire new resort development and will provide a major economic boon to tourism in the Yangtze River Delta and all of Eastern China,” said Li Che, chairman of Riverside.
"The Six Flags park in Haiyan will be a spectacular park featuring our signature lineup of record-breaking roller coasters, family rides and attractions and world-class shows—along with themed sections of the park that pay homage to the storied Chinese culture,” said John Odum, president, Six Flags International Development Company.
The first phase of the mixed-use development project will be a new exhibition center that will open this fall and provide visitors an interactive preview of the upcoming offerings.
Other international companies building theme parks in China include Disney, Dreamworks and Universal, while local developers include Dalian Wanda and Huayi Brothers Media. Disney recently confirmed that its Shanghai resort will open in June this year.