Wang's theme-park bet more of a China real estate gamble

Hong Kong

EARLIER this year, Wang Jianlin threatened to see off Walt Disney Co's theme park in Shanghai with his own slew of attractions. Dalian Wanda Group Co's pack of wolves - a rollout of 15-20 theme parks in China - would defeat the lone tiger that is Shanghai Disneyland, he said.

China theme park sales in 2016 are estimated at US$6.35 billion. The reality, as Mr Wang on Wednesday announced his second US$15 billion development project in a week, is that neither Disney nor the billionaire inhabit the same jungle.