Rubicon Group to develop themed resort in Perth

Dubai: It's all proving to be as easy as a run in the park for Rubicon Group Holding (RGH). Fresh from putting on the producer's cap for the movie version of the cartoon character Postman Pat, the company is now involved in a theme resort development in Australia.

A group entity, RGH Themed Entertainment, has been roped in to provide the concept and design of a multi-billion dollar project in Perth, Western Australia. Newly-formed InspireWA is the main promoter of the venture.

The initial assessment of the greater Perth metropolitan area identified four potential locations as suitable for the development. However, the final one will not be announced until the completion of all definitive feasibility studies.

A team from RGH will visit Perth in February to inspect the shortlisted locations and continue with the initial design. It has got form in this line — last May, RGH was selected to lead the design and development of the Red Sea Astrarium, a 184-acre themed resort in Aqaba, Jordan.

One of the star attractions will be a themed destination inspired by the 2009 movie Star Trek.

Investor evening

"The team at InspireWA have envisioned something truly magnificent for Perth, and we can't wait to see it take shape," said Lenny Larsen, director of themed entertainment at RGH Entertainment's Los Angeles-based division.

Also in February, InspireWA will host a combined investor and information evening during which more information on the project's concept and status will be disclosed.

"All factors — including impact on the market environment and economy, assessment of the regulatory climate and environmental impacts, capital requirements and strategies — will be considered," said Stephen Inouye, technical director at InspireWA.

"The feasibility study will serve as the central mechanism to support the project team's decision-making process. This study forms the basis for the cost-benefit analysis on project viability."

Would it prove as good a fit for RGH? Australia is quite a distance from its existing focus areas.

But, on the plus side, the company has built up a track record of projects in Europe and East Asia. What it means, according to an independent observer, is that a new geography will not be an issue.

Support

The financial aspect of such a development will be another central issue. Theme parks and resorts have historically had a long payback period for promoters.

But where this venture has an advantage is the support of the Western Australian government. Moreover, the Australian economy has not been impacted by the seismic shocks now roiling Europe and the weakness of the American economy.

Also, Australia in the recent past has been looking to Asia and its immediate neighbourhood to pull in higher visitor numbers.

Four specialised divisions

Rubicon Group Holding operates four specialised divisions spanning themed entertainment, production, games and education. It has bases in four cities — apart from Dubai and Jordan, there are offices in Los Angeles and Manila.