Serving the themed entertainment community

Latest News

  • Looking forward, WhiteWater redefines leadership team
  • Mad Systems announces addition of Toni Losier to business development team
  • Museums Evolving conference goes virtual for second year in a row due to COVID-19 pandemic
  • Whitney Hines joins Luci Creative as Senior Project Manager
  • David Gillig joins San Diego Zoo Global as chief philanthropy officer
  • Design Silverfish uses Christie projectors to immerse visitors in South Korean culture
  • Ocubo selects AV Stumpfl’s PIXERA media server software for Immersivus 3D art installation in Lisbon
  • Editorial: Current events and the US attractions industry
  • Home
  • Opportunity Hub
    • Leads & Opportunities
    • Webinar Calendar
    • Submit a Webinar
  • News
    • COVID-19
  • Issues
    • 2020
      • #85 – Looking forward to the future
      • #84 – Everything the industry has to offer
      • #83 – Waterparks and more!
      • #82 – Solving Problems with Innovation
      • #81 COVID-19 and beyond
      • IPM guide to AV 2020
    • 2019
      • #80 – IAAPA 2019
      • #79.5 – IAAPA Expo 2019 Preview
      • #79 Europe and Waterparks
      • #78 – Asia/Tech
      • #77 – The Best in Themed Entertainment
    • 2018
      • #76 – Year End/Trade Show Round-up
      • #75 – IAAPA 2018
      • #74 – EME/Waterparks
      • #73 – Asia and Technology
      • #72 – Dubai/Museums
      • #71 – MENA/Entertainment
    • 2017
      • #70 – IAAPA 2017
      • #69 – Game Changers
      • #68 Going Global: Technology on the International Stage
      • #67 – Experience Design: Many Faces Many Places
      • #66 Theatrical Influence and Convergence
    • 2016
      • #65 IAAPA 2016
      • #64 Waterpark, Zoo & Aquarium 2016
      • #63 Technology 2016
      • #62 International
      • #61 Museums and Expanding Markets
    • 2015
      • #60 – IAAPA 2015
      • #59 – Zoos/Aquaria and Waterparks 2015
      • #58 – Technology 2015
      • #57 – International 2015
      • #56 – Museums 2015
    • 2014
      • #55 – IAAPA 2014 / Tenth Anniversary
      • #54 – Waterparks, Zoos and Aquariums 2014
      • #53 – Technology 2014
      • #52 – International 2014
      • #51 – Museums 2014
    • 2013
      • #46 – Museums 2013
      • #47 – International 2013
      • #48 – Technology 2013
      • #49 – Waterparks 2013
      • #50 – IAAPA 2013
      • 2013 Wrap-Up
    • 2012
      • #45 – IAAPA & WWA Wrap-Up
      • #44 – IAAPA
      • #43 – Waterparks
      • #42 – Technology
      • #41 – International
      • #40 – Museums
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About
    • About InPark
    • Privacy Policy
  • IPM books
    • Screens to scenes: Christie’s visual technology
    • Tales from the Expo
    • Themed entertainment in academia
  • follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Linked
    • Youtube

Comparing US pavilion plans for Milan 2015 with Genoa ’92

Dec 30, 2013 Judith Rubin Business, Europe & Middle East, Events, James Ogul, People, Uncategorized, World Expos, World markets Comments Off on Comparing US pavilion plans for Milan 2015 with Genoa ’92


Comparing US pavilion plans for Milan 2015 with Genoa ’92
Milan 2015 logo

Milan 2015 logo

As the opening of Milan Expo 2015 drew closer, James Ogul looked back at another world’s fair in Italy, held in 1992. Genoa ’92 was an International Specialized Expo sanctioned by the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE). It ran May 15-August 15 and its theme was “Christopher Columbus: Ships and the Sea.”

Image at top: rendering of the USAP at Expo Milano 2015.

This article, originally published in December 2013, is part of “Tales from the Expo” – an InPark Magazine online book written by James Ogul and edited by Judith Rubin. 

Expo Book Banner

 

 

Located one hour and 46 minutes from Milan by car, the Genoa event did not gain much attention because there were two world’s fairs in 1992, both in Europe. The larger of them was Seville ’92 (Spain).

Funding for the US pavilion in Genoa was $2.9 million with a 50/50 Federal-private sector split. The Federal funds were secured through a protracted negotiation with Congress that resulted in a reprogramming request. The major private sector sponsor for the pavilion was Amway Corporation.

Exhibitors at Genoa were housed for the most part in a restored cotton warehouse although the US opted to set up in one of four adjacent buildings that had been 17th century merchant homes called palazzine. The 5,000-square-foot US exhibit made use of media effects in three galleries to depict the importance of waterways to US history, development and traditions. The Chesapeake Bay and the port of Baltimore, a sister city of Genoa were singled out as illustrative of American maritime culture. The exhibit also emphasized the need to preserve and protect the world’s waterways.

James Ogul

Getting back to the present, the 2015 Universal Expo in Milan will run May 1-October 31, 2015. Its theme is “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.” Attendance is projected at 20 million visitors. In comparison, Genoa ’92 was very small: it occupied 12 acres and had 52 international exhibitors to Milan’s 271 acres and 140+ participating nations.

Likewise, the US pavilion at Milan 2015 will be much larger and a more elaborate undertaking, built from the ground up on a 2,790 square meter site, unlike Genoa where the organizers leased space within an existing building. The cost of participation will be commensurately higher: an estimated $45 million. The funding challenge is also now significantly different for a US pavilion compared to 1992: All of that $45 million will have to be raised from private sector contributions.

Charles Faas is CEO of the official US pavilion project being created by “Friends of the US Pavilion Milano 2015” – the private sector team acting on the authority of a Letter of Intent from the US State Department. Members of this group include Dorothy Hamilton, CEO of the International Culinary Center; Mitchell Davis, VP of The James Beard Foundation; and Simone Crolla, managing director of the US Chamber of Commerce in Italy.

Once the Friends group has demonstrated that all funding for this project will be in hand, they will sign a Memo of Understanding with the State Department, which will then sign a Participation Contract with the Expo Organizers, and appoint a Commissioner General.

This has been the US pattern for the past three world expos – Aichi 2005, Shanghai 2010 and Yeosu 2012. Only after the US has signed a Participation Contract with the Expo Organizers will the US plot be turned over to the US and the Friends group be able to break ground for the Pavilion.

Genoa Expo ’92 images published on Urso Chappell’s site www.expomuseum.com

Obviously the sooner all of this can take place the better to allow time for building construction. Construction must be completed well before opening day to allow time for installation of exhibits.

Charlie Faas

Charlie Faas, CEO of the US Pavilion project at Milan 2015

 

The compressed timeframe for this effort is due in large part to the lateness of the US decision to participate. Unfortunately this has been true for most of the expos in recent history. No appropriations for world’s fair participation have been received since 1988. Further, the office charged with handling these projects was abolished in 1993. So often it has been a high level appeal from the host country that has triggered a decision and this has happened only after all other avenues have failed. And so we have been late, and with less time to do the work, costs and risks have risen.

Notwithstanding these challenges, the US had very successful pavilions at Aichi ’05, Shanghai Expo ’10 and Yeosu ’12. This was accomplished through dedicated Federal and private sector partners working cooperatively to pull these projects together in record time. Challenges abound in complex projects like these and there are constant struggles to meet budget requirements and milestones. Having spent hundreds of hours on the exhibition floors of our US Pavilions and watching visitor reaction and interaction with both our exhibits and our guides, I can say that all of the efforts that go into them are very worthwhile.

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Print

  • james ogul, milan expo 2015, US participation in world expos
  • tweet
Related articles
  • What will it mean to postpone Expo 2020 Dubai until 2021?
    What will it mean to postpone Expo 2020...

    Comments Off on What will it mean to postpone Expo 2020 Dubai until 2021?

  • The U.S. could be a no-show at Expo 2020 Dubai
    The U.S. could be a no-show at Expo...

    Comments Off on The U.S. could be a no-show at Expo 2020 Dubai

  • Expo 2020 Dubai Update
    Expo 2020 Dubai Update

    Comments Off on Expo 2020 Dubai Update

  • The Czech Republic prepares for Expo 2020 Dubai
    The Czech Republic prepares for Expo...

    Comments Off on The Czech Republic prepares for Expo 2020 Dubai

More in this category
  • Looking forward, WhiteWater redefines leadership team
    Looking forward, WhiteWater redefines...

    Jan 22, 2021 Comments Off on Looking forward, WhiteWater redefines leadership team

  • Mad Systems announces addition of Toni Losier to business development team
    Mad Systems announces addition of Toni...

    Jan 21, 2021 Comments Off on Mad Systems announces addition of Toni Losier to business development team

  • Museums Evolving conference goes virtual for second year in a row due to COVID-19 pandemic
    Museums Evolving conference goes...

    Jan 21, 2021 Comments Off on Museums Evolving conference goes virtual for second year in a row due to COVID-19 pandemic

  • Whitney Hines joins Luci Creative as Senior Project Manager
    Whitney Hines joins Luci Creative as...

    Jan 21, 2021 Comments Off on Whitney Hines joins Luci Creative as Senior Project Manager


Quick Takes

My Tweets

Latest Issue

Leads & Opportunities

  • Cedar Fair seeks Corporate Director, Communications
    Cedar Fair seeks Corporate Director, Communications

    Dec 29, 2020 Comments Off on Cedar Fair seeks Corporate Director, Communications

    The position will lead strategy development and execution...
  • Pursuit seeks Financial Analyst, FP&A
    Pursuit seeks Financial Analyst, FP&A

    Dec 28, 2020 Comments Off on Pursuit seeks Financial Analyst, FP&A

    This role will focus on all aspects of financial planning...
  • AOA seeks Show Set Designer
    AOA seeks Show Set Designer

    Dec 26, 2020 Comments Off on AOA seeks Show Set Designer

    There will be a great deal of freedom, which will be...
  • Visualization firm THE THIRD FLOOR has openings for a variety of positions
    Visualization firm THE THIRD FLOOR has openings for a...

    Dec 09, 2020 Comments Off on Visualization firm THE THIRD FLOOR has openings for a variety of positions

    THE THIRD FLOOR is currently seeking Postvis Generalists,...
  • CineVenture seeks 3D character animator
    CineVenture seeks 3D character animator

    Dec 09, 2020 Comments Off on CineVenture seeks 3D character animator

    CineVenture develops high-end content for the global...

Top Posts

  • Whitney Hines joins Luci Creative as Senior Project Manager
    Whitney Hines joins Luci Creative as Senior Project Manager
  • Sally Brings the Animal Animatronics of Five Nights at Freddy's to Life in New Attraction Concept
    Sally Brings the Animal Animatronics of Five Nights at Freddy's to Life in New Attraction Concept
  • Looking forward, WhiteWater redefines leadership team
    Looking forward, WhiteWater redefines leadership team
  • JRA designs new children's museum in Wisconsin
    JRA designs new children's museum in Wisconsin
  • VST Enterprises' technology being integrated into Circle Pass Enterprises' COVI-PASS Digital Health Passport
    VST Enterprises' technology being integrated into Circle Pass Enterprises' COVI-PASS Digital Health Passport
  • Lighthouse ArtSpace Chicago to open with US premiere of Immersive Van Gogh
    Lighthouse ArtSpace Chicago to open with US premiere of Immersive Van Gogh
  • Former Great Wolf Lodge CEO Kim Schaefer to Lead Two Bit Circus' LBE Business
    Former Great Wolf Lodge CEO Kim Schaefer to Lead Two Bit Circus' LBE Business

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Categories

  • IPM Interviews
  • Theme Parks
  • Museums
  • Water Parks
  • Attractions
    • Haunts
    • Zoos & Aquariums
  • World markets
    • Asia
    • Europe & Middle East
    • Latin America & Mexico
    • North America
  • Technology & Media
  • Business
    • Events
    • People
  • World Expos

InPark Magazine

2349 E Ohio Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53207 USA
262.412.7107
mpalicki@inparkmagazine.com

View our Privacy Policy

Copyright 2018 InPark Magazine / All rights reserved
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Instagram