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Park News
www.parkworld-online.com
Deep in India Kernels
by Pradeep Sharma radeep Sharma
Russian ride supplier Pax Design is to equip a complete park in Egypt.
Located in coastal resort of Hurghada, the new medium sized facility
will open 2008 or 2009 and is being developed by Russian owners.
Intellectual property and the ”Lots of cities want a park,” notes Anna Novikova of Pax’s
amusement industry
international department.
Following the success of two events in Europe, the World Waterpark
The importance of intellectual property rights (IPR) in India is well Association (WWA) is to further reach out to its international
established at all levels: Statutory, administrative and judicial. membership by staging a symposium next year in Dubai. The exact
India, for example, ratified the agreement establishing the timing has yet to be agreed upon, but WWA president Rick Root
World Trade Organisation (WTO). Among other things, this concedes dates immediately before or after the DEAL trade show may
agreement contains a section on Trade Related Aspects of attract a better attendance.
Intellectual Property Rights. India’s own Copyright Act, amended
in 1999, fully reflects the Berne Convention on Copyrights, to Bombay Amusement Rides (BARPL) has been contracted to supply a
which India is a party. India is also an active member of the 70-metre Ferris Wheel to the Khaled A Al-Rajhi group in Saudi
World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). Arabia. The Indian manufacturer, which has its own production
However, though the IPR law is well defined in India, the facilities in Mumbai, is in talks with established manufacturers from
implementation has a long way to go. The fact remains that Europe about a possible design.
many small to medium to enterprises are producing replica of
various amusement equipment using other people’s designs.
New Jersey park Boardwalk Fun was due to take delivery recently of
Most common examples include the Kami Kaze/Ranger, Break
a static model Streetfighter from Technical Park. The 16-seater ride is
Dance, Slam Bob and Ferris Wheels. Even copies of the Frisbee
the Italian manufacturer’s version of a suspended-seat Frisbee.
have been produced. You will soon notice copies of some of the
newer rides that have been introduced in the last two years.
Italian manufacturer IE Park has recently supplied a variety of Soli
There is still a big market available for these products in rural
bumper cars in various shapes and sizes to a variety of parks. Fleets
India where travelling showmen prefer this kind of cheap version.
are now in service at shopping centres in Colombia and Poland and
Operators know very well they are buying copies and most of the
a kiddie park in France. Meanwhile 15 ‘Charly’ cars will appear at
time they approach the manufacturers with pictures of original
Lotte World in South Korea when the park reopens recently following
rides they would like them to produce!
its extensive ‘re-tuning.’
Apart from some of the smaller companies, even the old
Zierer recently supplied a number of family tower rides to
manufacturers are still producing crude copies, and selling them
Compagnie des Alpes for use at its leisure parks in France and
also to countries like Bangladesh, South Africa and some of the
Germany.
Gulf countries. There have been accidents on such rides abroad.
Several measures have now been adopted to strengthen and
Joe Martinez has been named as general manager of Elitch
streamline the enforcement of copyrights in India. These include
Gardens, the oldest existing theme park west of the Mississippi.
the setting up of a Copyright Enforcement Advisory Council,
Martinez was previously the park’s assistant general manager/vice-
training programmes for enforcement officers and setting up
president of operations and has more than 30 years’ industry
special policy cells to deal with cases relating to infringement of
experience.
copyrights.
Yet most copy products still go un-noticed, ignored or take a
BRC Imagination Arts has hired Carlos Ortega to its project
back seat. The Indian judicial system is overloaded and no one
development team. Ortega brings to BRC’s museum and collections-
likes to take action due to slow legal process and cost involved.
based projects an art history background, multilingual skills and
Only the big operators like Essel World, Veega Land, WonderLa,
extensive experience in international museum work. "His perspective
Unitech and some of the other parks can afford original imports.
will be invaluable for our project development efforts around the
Essel World in particular has set the trend by buying original
world including current clients in Europe and Asia," says Bob Rogers,
products only. For things to really change, we need more original
BRC’s CEO and founder. Prior to joining BRC, Ortega served as the
products at affordable prices. There is not really much of a culture
collections manager and registrar for the Museum of Latin American
of design in India when it comes to amusement machines, but small
Art in Long Beach, California.
steps are now being made by a handful of manufacturers, and I’m
proud to say my company is one of them.
Italian ride manufacturer Technical Park is to supply two rides this
Eventually maybe we will rid the market of these substandard
season to Djurs Sommerland in Denmark. A Super Red Baron plane
products that jeopardise both the safety of the end user and the
ride and a Helitoys Samba Tower were due to open May 27 at the
reputation of the industry as a whole.
Nimtofte-based park.
A Bollywood theme park is to open in Mumbai next year according
Pradeep Sharma has been in business for 25 years, as both an
to arabianbusiness.com, taking guests behind the scenes of the
operator and supplier to the Indian amusement industry. Currently
world’s most prolific film industry. The project will be shaped along
based in Mumbai, he heads up Bombay Amusement Rides and is
the lines of Hollywood studio parks and is to be developed by Percept
an active member of IAAPI. www.bombayamusement.com
Holdings.
6 JUNE 2007
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