Shanghai, China — Shanghai Disney Resort celebrated a significant milestone in the building of the resort, with the installation of the first steel column at Shanghai Disneyland. This milestone marks the official start of the vertical construction for the resort’s theme park. Leaders from the Shanghai Disney Resort Management Company were joined by leaders from the resort’s two shareholders, the Shanghai Shendi Group and The Walt Disney Company, as well as officials from the Administrative Commission of the Shanghai International Tourism and Resort Zone, to witness the installation of an 18-meter steel column and celebrate the exciting moment with construction site workers.
The steel column installation is part of the structure for some of the world’s most advanced ride and show systems, and will help to support a safe environment for future enjoyment by the many guests who will visit the resort. Targeted to open at the end of 2015, the resort will initially be comprised of Shanghai Disneyland, a Magic Kingdom-style park that will blend classic Disney storytelling and characters with new attractions, experiences and entertainment tailored specifically for the people of China, two themed hotels, a large retail, dining and entertainment venue, recreational facilities, a lake and associated parking and transportation hubs.
“The construction team has been working very hard at the build site since groundbreaking and we are excited to see the progress every day”, said Howard Brown, Senior Vice President and Project Development Executive of Shanghai Disney Resort. “Safety and quality remain the top priorities in building the resort, and we are committed to using the most advanced technology, the most efficient practices and the most environmentally friendly techniques in the development of this world-class tourism destination.”
“This is a really exciting moment for everyone working on this project, and for Shanghai”, said Mike Crawford, General Manager of Shanghai Disney Resort. “We appreciate the tremendous support we have received from our Shanghai partners and the government, and we look forward to helping Shanghai further develop its tourism service sector when the resort is opened.”
Construction work on Shanghai Disney Resort and supporting infrastructure continues on track at the resort build site in Pudong. The majority of piling work for the theme park is already complete, a process that involved the installation of over 23,000 concrete piles. The major work now shifts to substructure construction to support the vertical construction of buildings and infrastructure. The amount of structural steel needed to build the key elements of the theme park and overall resort is targeted to reach 72,000 metrics tons.
www.shanghaidisneyresort.com.cn
