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The launch ceremony for the Hello Kitty theme park in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province is held on May 8. [Photo/Xinhua]
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HANGZHOU -- Hello Kitty, an iconic cartoon image, will soon have her first home outside of Japan as Sanrio Co, Ltd has authorized a Chinese company to build a theme park based on her image in eastern China's Zhejiang province.
According to the agreement between the Japanese company that owns the rights to the Hello Kitty brand and a subsidiary under the Shanghai Insight Holdings (Group) Co, Ltd based in Shanghai, the world's third Hello Kitty-themed amusement park will be located in the city of Anji. The other two parks are both located in Japan.
The project, jointly designed by Sanrio Co, Ltd and US-based amusement park designer Hettema, will cost $215 million. It will cover a total area of 60 hectares, including a theme park, hotel and catering services.
The Shanghai company will be responsible for the investment and management of the project, according to Liao Chunrong, President of Shanghai Insight Holdings.
Construction work will begin in the second half of this year and is expected to finish in 2014.
Created in 1974, Hello Kitty has around 22,000 types of derivative products being sold over 40 countries and regions around the world.
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Girls perform at the launch ceremony for the Hello Kitty theme park in this photo taken in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, May 8. [Photo/Xinhua]
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